The use of -ing and to infinitive
| Stránky: | E-learningový portál Obchodní akademie a hotelové školy Třebíč |
| Kurz: | Materiály ke studiu AJ (úroveň B1 - B2) |
| Kniha: | -ing and to... |
| Vytiskl(a): | Nepřihlášený host |
| Datum: | Sobota, 23. listopad 2024, 19.29 |
The -ing form can be a present participle (as part of a verb or as an adjective) or it can be the noun form of a verb ("a gerund"):
VERB ADJECTIVE NOUN
I´m eating my dinner. a running man Baking cakes is fun.
Are you feeling OK? a mixing bowl brown sugar for sprinkling
-ing is used as the subject of a sentence:
Preparing a meal every day is hard work.
Living abroad is interesting.
Eating out every day is expensive.
Washing-up after a meal isn´t much fun.
-ing is used after prepositions:
Is anyone interested in joining me for a drink after work?
I´m looking forward to going away on holiday.
I can´t get used to drinking tea without sugar.
I had an upset stomach after eating oysters.
Most adjectives are followed by to infinitive:
pleased, glad, surprised, disappointed, relieved, shocked, interesting, kind, hard, essential, difficult, easy
I was pleased to receive your invitation.
I was glad to meet my old friends again.
We were surprised to get a bill for £45.
We were sorry to hear your bad news.
It was kind of you to invite me.
It was easier to do than I had expected.
He was afraid to open the door.
The exercise was hard to do.
BUT: many common adjectives are followed by a preposition + -ing
afraid of, interested in, sorry about, good at, capable of, famous for, fond of
She´s afraid of flying.
We´re sorry about interrupting.
He´s fond of collecting butterflies.
They´re very good at skiing.
To... is also used in the structures too ... to ... and ...enough to...
We arrived early enough to get a seat.
The tray was too heavy for me to carry.
This coffee is too hot to drink.
Boiled eggs are easy enough to cook.
There are some verbs which are usually only followed by -ing:
avoid, can´t help, delay, dislike, don´t mind, enjoy, finish, give up, go on, practise
I´ve finished preparing the salad.
I avoid staying in expensive hotels.
I couldn´t help laughing when he fell over.
I´m trying to give up smoking.
I dislike doing the washing-up after a meal.
I always enjoy trying new dishes.
There are some verbs which are usually only followed by to...:
afford, agree, allow, choose, decide, encourage, expect, forget, help someone, hope, learn, manage, mean, need, offer, persuade, pretend, promise, recommend, refuse, teach, train, try, want, would like
I´d like you to help me with the washing-up.
They promised to invite me to lunch.
I can´t afford to stay at the Ritz.
We managed to get a table by the window.
He didn´t mean to spill the soup.
We decided to have a drink in the pub.
He tried to open the lid of the jar.
She offered to help him.
Some verbs are followed by -ing or to... with no difference in meaning:
begin, continue, intend, hate, like, love, prefer, start
She began to eat / eating her meal.
I love to eat / eating Chinese food.
I don´t like eating / to eat alone in restaurants.
Which dessert do you intend to order / ordering?
After the meal we continued chatting / to chat for a long time.
But when stop is followed by -ing or by to... there is a difference in meaning:
Please stop making that noise, it´s driving me mad! (= don´t continue)
Their mother told them to stop quarrelling.
We stopped to get some petrol and have some lunch. (= stop in order to)
I was half-way through my meal but I had to stop to answer the phone.
And when remember is followed by -ing or by to... there´s also a difference in meaning:
Did you remember to buy the lettuce for dinner? (= did not forget)
I don´t remember you asking me to buy a lettuce. (= I have a clear memory of it.)
You must remember to send Jill an invitation to the party.
I remember posting the letter yesterday evening after work.