Infinitive or "ing-Form"?
Sometimes it is quite difficult to say whether after a verb an infinitive or an ”ing-form“ (Gerund or Present Participle) follows.
But, there are also various verbs which can be followed by both infinitives and "ing-forms". There are three possibilities, as follows:
In the English language, you can use the following grammar rules to differentiate between the Infinitve or the ing - Form:
- Same Meaning: begin - start - continue - like - love - prefer - hate
- They prefer to eat at 12. = They prefer eating at 12.
- She began to play. = She began playing.
- Slight Differences in Meaning: If a verb and an infinitive occur in a structure, a rather general statement is made. No specific action is mentioned. (However, if a verb and an “ing-form” occur in a structure, often a distinctive act is described, which can be perceived)
- We often hear you sing.
- We can hear you singing.
- Significant Differences in Meaning: A number of verbs have absolute different meanings in their infinitive or “ing-form” realisations.
Verbs which apply to the third type mentioned above are discussed below:
| Verb + infinitive | Verb + "ing-Form" |
|---|---|
| Anna forgot to lock her door. | You will never forget climbing this mountain. |
| necessary action (she should have done it, but she forgot) | remembering something already happened (sth one will never forget) |
| I need to know what you do. | Karen needs talking to, I think. |
| Necessity, Constraint (active) (it must happen) | Necessity, Constraint (passive) (it would be better if this happened to her....) |
| Remember to park the car in the shade | I remember singing this song when I was young. |
| necessary action (I must not forget it.) | remembering something already happened (sth one will never forget) |
| We stopped to ask for some drinks. | Stop asking those people. They do not know. |
| interrupting an action to do sth else | fully stopping an action |
| Miriam tried to unlock the door, but had the wrong keys. | We can try to find a table at the Japanese restaurant. |
| attempt to do something | advice to solve a problem |
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