What Verb + To Infinitive or -ing Is
After verbs like want and enjoy, a second verb changes its form. It becomes to + verb (the to infinitive, like to learn) or verb + -ing (like cooking). The first verb decides which one.
WANT + TOWhat you want to do
I want to learn English.
A verb after want takes to.
ENJOY + -INGWhat you like doing
She enjoys cooking.
A verb after enjoy takes -ing, not to.
Want, need and decide take to + verb; enjoy, finish and mind take -ing.
The -ing here does not mean the action is happening now: she enjoys cooking means she likes to cook, not that she is cooking at this moment.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"We hope Đà Lạt next summer."
- Question 2
"My mum enjoys in the garden."
The four patterns
+ TO VERB
Swant / need / decide…to V
We decided to take a taxi.
The first verb changes for subject and tense; to + verb stays the same.
+ -ING
Senjoy / finish / mind…V-ing
He finished cleaning the kitchen at ten.
After these verbs, the second verb ends in -ing.
NEGATIVE
Sdon't / didn'twantto V
I didn't want to go out.
The negative goes with the first verb; the pattern after it stays the same.
POLITE
Swould liketo V
I'd like to try the fish soup.
Would like means want, but it is softer. Short form: I'd like.
VERBS + TO
- wantwant to
- needneed to
- decidedecide to
- hopehope to
- planplan to
- learnlearn to
want · need · decide · hope · plan · learn (how to do something) + to
VERBS + -ING
- enjoyenjoy -ing
- finishfinish -ing
- mindmind -ing
- keepkeep -ing
- practisepractise -ing
- stopstop -ing
enjoy · finish · mind · keep (do again and again) · practise · stop + -ing
No rule tells you the group. Learn want to, decide to, enjoy -ing and finish -ing as chunks, each with an example sentence.
The second verb does not show the tense. The tense is on the first verb: she wanted to leave, not wanted to left.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"Did you finish the car?"
- Question 2
"Would you like to my birthday party?"
- Question 3
"Last night Nam decided a film at home."
When each pattern is used
Wishes and plans
I need to buy a new phone charger.
What you want, need, hope or plan to do.
Signal words: want to · need to · plan to · hope to
Finishing, stopping, doing again
Please stop talking.
Finishing an activity, stopping it or doing it again and again.
Signal words: finish · stop · keep + -ing
Like, love, hate
My sister loves singing in the shower.
These three take either form with almost no change in meaning: loves to sing is fine too.
Signal words: like · love · hate + -ing / to
Polite offers and requests
Would you like to sit down?
Would like + to for offering, ordering or asking politely.
Signal words: I'd like to… · Would you like to…?
To + verb for a purpose vs. for + noun
To say why somebody does something, put to + verb after the action: I came here to see you.
Do not use for with a verb here. For a purpose, for goes with a noun.
| TO + VERB | FOR + NOUN | |
|---|---|---|
| at the market | Mum went to the market to buy some fish. | Mum went to the market for some fish. |
| at a café | We stopped at a café to have lunch. | We stopped at a café for lunch. |
| at the park | They went to the park to play football. | They went to the park for a game of football. |
An answer to Why…? can start with to + verb on its own: Why are you learning English? — To get a better job.
TRY IT
- Question 1
"I'm saving money a new laptop."
- Question 2
"Let's go to the beach a swim."
Common mistakes
Incorrect:I want go shopping this weekend.
Correct:I want to go shopping this weekend.
Want needs to before the second verb; the two verbs cannot simply sit side by side.
Incorrect:We enjoy to walk on the beach.
Correct:We enjoy walking on the beach.
Enjoy is an -ing verb, so the verb after it takes -ing, not to.
Incorrect:I went to the library for borrow some books.
Correct:I went to the library to borrow some books.
A purpose with a verb is to + verb; for goes with a noun.
Incorrect:She decided to moved to Huế.
Correct:She decided to move to Huế.
Decided already carries the past tense, so the verb after to stays in the base form.
Incorrect:Do you mind to wait a few minutes?
Correct:Do you mind waiting a few minutes?
Mind takes -ing, including in a polite question.
Incorrect:I like to book a room for tonight.
Correct:I'd like to book a room for tonight.
I like is about what you like in general; to ask for something now, use I'd like.
Quick check · 6 questions
Choose the correct form:
Lan needs to get up early tomorrow.
- A. to get — Correct
- B. getting
- C. get
Answer: A. to get
Need belongs with want, decide and hope: the verb after it is to + the base form.
Choose the correct form:
Minh practises playing the guitar every evening.
- A. playing — Correct
- B. to play
- C. play
Answer: A. playing
Practise belongs with enjoy, finish and mind, so the verb after it ends in -ing.
Choose the correct form:
Two years ago, Hà learned to ride a motorbike.
- A. to ride — Correct
- B. to rode
- C. riding
Answer: A. to ride
Learned already shows the past. The verb after to stays in the base form: to ride, not to rode.
You are ordering in a restaurant. Choose the correct sentence:
I'd like to order now, please.
- A. I'd like to — Correct
- B. I like to
- C. I'd like
Answer: A. I'd like to
I like to is about what you like in general. To order or ask for something now, use I'd like. It still needs to before the verb.
"I hate getting up early." and "I hate to get up early." — which is correct?
Both are correct
- A. Both are correct — Correct
- B. Only the one with getting
- C. Only the one with to get
Answer: A. Both are correct
Like, love and hate can take either -ing or to + verb, and the meaning hardly changes.
Choose the correct sentence:
Huy turned on his laptop to check his email.
- A. to check — Correct
- B. for check
- C. for to check
Answer: A. to check
To say why somebody did something, use to + the base form. For goes with a noun, as in for lunch.
See whether it really stuck.
Start the quiz · 12 questions
