Use to + infinitive After question words (who, what, when, where, why, how): I didn’t know what to do next. He always knows where to go to have a good time.

Use to + infinitive When you want to express a reason for something (infinitive of purpose): I went to the supermarket to buy some food. I visited my friends to have a good time.

Use to + infinitive After adjectives: This recipe is difficult to make. English is very easy to learn.

Use to + infinitive After some verbs: Can’t afford, agree, decide, expect, forget, help, hope, learn, need, offer, plan, pretend, promise, refuse, remember*, seem, try*, want, would like (see SB p. 138)

Use -ing After prepositions: I’m good at playing tennis. He is fed up with waiting for the bus.

Use -ing In –ing clauses (i.e., when a clause beginning with an –ing verb is the subject of another sentence): [Eating out] is expensive. [Going to the dentist] is never a good experience.

Use -ing After some verbs: Enjoy, hate, finish, like*, love*, mind, practise, spend, stop*, suggest, phrasal verbs such as go on, give up...

Like, love, hate These verbs accept both to + inifinitive or the gerund, with slightly different emphases: I like dancing. (general) I liked to dance with you at the party. (specific) I love swimming. (general) I love to swim under the moonlight, surrounded by schools of fluorescent fish. (specific)

Verbs that accept both possibilities with no change in meaning Begin, start, prefer, continue: I began working here in I began to work here in But It’s starting to rain. It’s starting raining.  (it sounds awful)

Verbs that accept both possibilities Remember: Remember to lock the door before going to bed. I remember seeing Richard this morning.

Verbs that accept both possibilities Forget I forgot to lock the door and someone stole my guitar. I’ll never forget watching the 2002 World Cup Final.

Verbs that accept both possibilities Try Are you stressed? Try listening to heavy metal to relax a little. I tried to memorize all the verb patterns, but it was too difficult.

Verbs that accept both possibilities Need I need to clean my car. = My car needs cleaning.

Verbs that accept both possibilities Stop I stopped smoking. I stopped (working, for example) to smoke.

Make, let make [someone] do something let [someone] do something The teacher made us memorize a lot of verb patterns. My grandmother didn’t let me eat candy before meals.