Verb + to-infinitive or -ing? Some verbs are followed by a to-infinitive but not -ing: agree, aim, ask, decline, demand, fail, hesitate, hope, hurry, manage, offer, plan, prepare, refuse, want, wish. Some verbs are followed by -ing but not a to-infinitive: admit, avoid, consider, delay, deny, detest, dread, envisage, feel like, finish, imagine, miss, recall, resent, risk, suggest. The verbs begin, cease, start, and continue can be followed by either a to-infinitive or an -ing form with little difference in meaning: • Even though it was raining, they continued to play / playing. However, with these verbs we normally avoid using two -ing forms together, as a repeated pattern can sound awkward: • Fm starting to learn Swahili, {rather than Fm starting learning Swahili.) The verbs advise and encourage are followed by -ing when there is no object and to-infinitive when there is one. Compare: • Fd advise taking more exercise. and • Fd advise you to take more exercise. Other verbs can be followed by either a to-infinitive or an -ing form, but there can be a difference in meaning. These include come, go on, mean, regret, remember, stop, try. + to-infinitive + -ing come to talk about a gradual change • After some years, they came to accept her as an equal. to say that someone moves in the way that is described • He came hurrying up the path. go on to mean that something is done after something eise is finished • After the interval, Pavarotti went on to sing an aria from Tosca. to say that someone moves in the way that is described • Although she asked him to stop, he went on tapping his pen on the table. mean to say that we intend(ed) to do something • I meant to phone you last week. to say that something has something eise as a result • If we want to get there by 7.00, that means getting up before 5.00. regret to say that we are about to do something we are not happy about • I regret to inform you that your application has been unsuccessful. to say we have already done something that we are not happy about • It's too late now, but PH always regret asking John to do the work. remember to mean that remembering comes before the actjon described • Remember to take your hat when you go out. (first remember, and then take it) to mean the action comes before remembering 0 • I remember going to the bank, but • nothing after that. (I remember that I went there) stop to say why we stop doing something • She stopped to make a cup of tea. to say what it is that we stop doing • They stopped laughing when Malcolm walked into the room. try to say that we attempt to do something • I tried to get the table through the door, but it was too big. to say we test something to see if it improves a Situation ^ • I tried taking some aspirin, but the pain 1 • didn't go away. Verb + to-lnflnltlve or bare Infinitive? => Verb+-ing: