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Luyện ngữ pháp - English Grammar in Use (Unit 56: Verb -ing or to ... 1)


A

Some verbs are followed by -ing and some are followed by to ... .

Verbs usually followed by -ing:

admit         fancy         postpone         avoid         finish         risk         consider         
imagine         stop         deny         keep (on)         suggest         enjoy         mind


For exam ples, see Unit 53.

 

Verbs usually followed by to ... :

afford         fail         offer         agree         forget         plan         arrange         hope         promise         decide         learn         refuse         deserve         manage         threaten


For examples, see Unit 54.
B

Some verbs can be followed by -ing or to ... with a difference of meaning:

remember

I remember doing something = I did it and now I remember this.
You remember doing something after you have done it.
  • I know I locked t he door. I clearly remember locking it. (= I locked it, and now I remember this)
  • He could remember driving along the road just before the accident, but he couldn't remember the accident itself.

I remembered to do something = I remembered that I had t o do it , so I did it.
You remember to do something before you do it.
  • I remembered to lock the door, but I forgot to shut the windows. (= I remembered that I had to lock it, and so I locked it)
  • I must remember to pay the electricity bill. (= I must not forget to pay it)

regret

I regret doing something = I did it and now I'm sorry about it:
  • I now regret saying what I said. I shouldn't have said it.
  • Do you regret not going to college?

I regret to say / to tell you / to inform you = I'm sorry that I have to say (etc.):
  • (from a formal letter) We regret to inform you that your application has been unsuccessful.

go on

Go on doing something = continue with the same thing:
  • The president paused for a moment and then went on talking.
  • We need to change. We can't go on living like this.

Go on to do something = do or say something new:
  • After discussing the economy, the president then went on to talk about foreign policy.
C

The following verbs can be followed by -ing or to .. . with no difference of meaning:

begin          start          continue          intend          bother


So you can say:
  • It started raining. or It started to rain.
  • Andy intends buying a house. or Andy intends to buy ...
  • Don't bother locking the door. or Don't bother to lock ...

But normally we do not use -ing after -ing:
  • It's starting to rain. (not It's starting raining)
Exercises - 56.1


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