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Verbs followed by the '-ing' form

Level: beginner

Common verbs followed by the -ing form are:

  • verbs of liking and disliking:

detest dislike enjoy fancy hate like love

I love swimming but I hate jogging.
They always enjoyed visiting their friends.

  • phrases with mind:

wouldn't mind (= would like)
don't mind (= I am willing to)
would you mind (= will you please …?)

I wouldn't mind having some fish and chips.
I don't mind waiting for a few minutes.
Would you mind holding this for me?

  • verbs of saying and thinking:

admit consider deny imagine remember suggest

Our leader suggested waiting until the storm was over.
Everyone denied seeing the accident.

  • others:

avoid begin finish keep miss practise risk start stop

I haven't finished writing this letter.
Let's practise speaking English.

Verb + -ing form 1

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Verb + -ing form 2

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verb + noun + -ing form

Some verbs are followed by a noun and the -ing form:

  • verbs of the senses: 
see hear listen to smell watch etc.

We saw everybody running away.
I could hear someone singing.

  • others:
catch find imagine leave prevent stop

I caught someone trying to break in to my house.
We couldn’t prevent them getting away.

Verb + noun + -ing form 1

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Verb + noun + -ing form 2

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Infinitive or -ing form?

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Many of the verbs above are sometimes followed by a passive form of -ing (being + past participle):

I don't like being interrupted.
Our dog loves being stroked under the chin.

Comments

Aziz Salem Ahmed Al.Hadhrami's picture Aziz Salem Ahme... replied on Oman

thanks mr Jovazmi. we all get benefit actually from your explanation 

Jovazmi's picture Jovazmi replied on Brazil

Is there any difference between "I like to eat in restaurants", and "I like eating in restaurants"?
 
Thank you, this is an excellent site.

Jack Radford's picture Jack Radford replied on United Kingdom (Great Britain)

 Hi Jovazmi

There is a really slight difference. Most of the time, when people use either of these two patterns: Like + verb-ing or Like + infinitive

The meaning is the same. However, there is a little difference, a subtle difference. Consider the two sentences.

  • I like pizza.
  • I like watching action films.

In both of these sentences, the verb like simply expresses my feeling about pizza and watching action films - they both make me happy!

These two are slightly different:

  • I like to get up early and go to the gym before work.
  • I like staying in bed till 10 on a Saturday.

In the first sentence, the verb like expresses more than my feeling. Getting up early does not make me happy. I think it's a good idea and so I like to do it. Staying in bed does make me happy. I don't think it's a very good idea but I like doing it anyway.

If this isn't clear or you would like some more examples, please let me know.

Jack

The LearnEnglish Team

Jovazmi's picture Jovazmi replied on Brazil

Thank you very much, very helpful explanation. I understand perfectly, it's clear.

caviroski's picture caviroski replied on Brazil

this is wonderful
I am more confident then ever

TomasFH's picture TomasFH replied on Brazil

I need more exercises

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