-ing or to? Verb patterns in English
After some verbs English uses -ing, after others to + infinitive, and a few take both with a change in meaning. There's no single rule, so the patterns are best learned with the verb.
The lessons cover the verbs whose meaning changes and the patterns of reporting verbs.
The essentials
- Remember doing is a memory of the past; remember to do is not forgetting a task: I remember meeting her. Remember to lock the door.
- Stop doing means quit; stop to do means stop in order to do something else: I stopped smoking. I stopped to buy water.
- Try doing is an experiment; try to do is an effort: Try restarting it. I tried to open the window.
- Reporting verbs follow their own pattern: suggest going, agree to help, deny taking it.
Every lesson on this topic
Each lesson has a full explanation, examples, common mistakes and practice questions.
B2 (English at B2)
- remember doing or remember to do?: verbs that change meaning: remember, forget, stop, try and regret mean different things with -ing and with to
- She suggested going / He denied taking it: reporting verbs: The pattern each reporting verb takes: -ing, to + infinitive, that, or a preposition
Other topics
- Present perfect or past simple?
- Talking about the past: English past tenses
- English conditionals: first, second, third and mixed
- English modal verbs: must, have to, should and more
- Talking about the future in English
- The passive in English
- Reported speech and reporting verbs
- Relative clauses: who, which, that, whose
- Linking words: although, despite, however, whereas
- Formal, professional and academic English
- Emphasis in English: inversion and cleft sentences