Infinitive or ING form

Sometimes we need to decide whether to use a

verb in its:
-ing form (doing, singing)
or

infinitive form (to do, to sing).

For instance, only one of the following sentences is

correct. Which one?
Ive just decided buying a new car. (?)
Ive just decided to buy a new car. (?)

When to use the infinitive

The infinitive form (with to) is used after certain verbs:

- forget, help, learn, teach, train
- choose, expect, hope, need, offer, want, would like
- agree, encourage, pretend, promise, recommend
- allow, can/can't afford, decide, manage, mean, refuse
I agreed to go with her.
He decided to leave the party early.
Why are they encouraged to learn English?
We can't afford to take a long holiday.
Can you help me to move this table?/Can you help me move..

For the negative form we use not before the infinitive!!:

I agreed not to go with her.

The infinitive form is always used after

adjectives, for example:
- disappointed, glad, happy, pleased, relieved,
sad, surprised
I was happy to help them.

This includes too + adjective:

The water was too cold to swim in.

The infinitive form is used after adjective +

enough:
She is rich enough to buy two.

The infinitive form is always used when

followed by an object, for example:
- advise, allow, ask, encourage, expect, forbid,
force, persuade, want, warn
She wanted me to help.
I asked them to come in.

X I want that you stay here

BUT: She suggested that I should ask your advice

After it is/was + adjective + of

+sustantivo/pronombre :
It was very kind of you to visit us.

Make and Let:

Verb + object + infinitive (without to):

I made him promise that he wouldnt tell

anybody
Hot weather makes me feel tired

When to use -ing

The -ing form is used when the word is the

subject of a sentence or clause:
Swimming is good exercise.
Doctors say that smoking is bad for you.

The -ing form is used after a preposition:

I look forward to meeting you.
They left without saying "Goodbye."

The -ing form is used after certain verbs:

- avoid, dislike, enjoy, finish, give up, mind/not
mind, practise, deny, postpone, fancy, admit,
miss, involve, imagine
I dislike getting up early.
Would you mind opening the window?

! For the negative form we use not before the gerund:

Would you mind not opening the window? Its cold outside.

Gerund and infinitive

Some verbs can be followed by the -ing form or

the infinitive without a big change in meaning:
begin, continue, hate, intend, like, love, prefer,
propose, bother start.

It started to rain / It started raining.

I like to play tennis / I like playing tennis.
But normally we do not use ing after ing:
Its starting to rain (not Its starting raining)

With a difference of meaning

Remember, regret, go on, try, need, help,

cant help, like/love/hate

Remember ing

Remember to + infinitive

I remember doing something

= I did it and now I remember
this.

I remembered to do sth = I
remembered that I had to do
it, so I did it.

You remember doing

something after you have
done it.

You remember to do
something before you do it.

I remembered to lock the door,

I know I locked the door. I
but I forgot to shut the
clearly remember locking it (I
windows (I remembered that I
locked it, and now I remember had to lock it, so I locked it)
this)

Regret ing

Regret to + infinitive

I regret doing something = I

did it and now I am sorry
about it

I regret to say/to tell you/to

inform you = Im sorry that I
have to say...

I now regret saying what I

sadi. I shouldnt have said it

We regret to inform you that

we cannot offer you the job

Go on ing

Go on to + infinitive

Go on doing something =
continue with the same thing

Go on to do something = do
or say something new

We need to change. We cant

go on living like this

After discussing the economy,

the president then went on to
talk about foreign policy

Try ing

Try + infinitive

Do something as an
experiment or a test

Try to do =attempt to do,

make an effort to do

Is it not working? Try pressing

the on and off button

I didnt like the way the

furniture was arranged, so I
tried moving the table to the
other side of the room, it
looked better!

I was very tired. I tried to keep

my eyes open, but I couldnt

I tried to move the table, but

it was too heavy (so I couldnt
do it)

Need ing

Need + infinitive

Something needs doing = it

needs to be done

I need to do something = It is
necessary for me to do it

This room looks awful, it

needs painting

I need to work harder If I

want the promotion

Cant help ing

Help + infinitive

I cant help doing something

= I cant stop myself doing it

Help to do or help do

I dont like him, but he has a

lot of problems. I cant help
feeling sorry for him.

Everybody helped to clean

up after the party
Everybody helped clean up..

Repeated actions, you can use ing or to:

Do you like getting up early? Or Do you like to get up early?
But:
Like/love/hate ing

when we talked about a

situation that already exists or
existed:
Paul lives in Barcelona now.
He there.
likes living
The office I worked in was
horrible. I hated working
there.

Mind and enjoy always

followed by ing:
X I enjoy to clean the house
X I dont mind to clean the
house