Verbs that take both forms
Some verbs can be followed by either an -ing form (a gerund) or to + base verb (an infinitive), with little change in meaning. At A2, this group includes seven verbs: like, love, hate, prefer, start, begin, and continue.
Like, love, hate, and prefer express an attitude; start and begin express a beginning; continue expresses continuation. With beginnings and continuation, the meanings of the two forms are often very close. Attitude verbs can involve nuances: I like swimming expresses enjoyment of the activity; I like to check my work expresses a preferred habit or practice.
The main skill in this lesson is not to choose the one correct form, but to recognise when both forms are correct and avoid replacing one with the other without a reason.
Nadia likes cycling to work in the summer.
Nadia likes cycling to work in the summer.
An -ing form follows like.
Nadia likes to cycle to work in the summer.
Nadia likes to cycle to work in the summer.
To cycle can emphasise a habitual choice; in this context, the two versions have similar meanings.
Our team began preparing the new presentation on Monday.
Our team began preparing the new presentation on Monday.
Here began is followed by the -ing form preparing. Began to prepare also expresses the beginning of this work.
Our team began to prepare the new presentation on Monday.
Our team began to prepare the new presentation on Monday.
Began + to expresses the same fact.
The -ing form after these verbs
Usually, add -ing: play → playing. In short words with one vowel letter before one final consonant, that consonant is often doubled: swim → swimming, sit → sitting. Do not double w, x, or y: drawing, fixing, playing.
A final silent e is usually dropped: make → making, ride → riding. There are exceptions, including dye → dyeing; check forms you are unsure about.
The -ing form does not change with the subject's person: I like swimming, she likes swimming, they like swimming. The -ing form stays the same; only the first verb changes (like/likes).
The twins have started chatting with their cousins online.
The twins have started chatting with their cousins online.
Chat doubles its final consonant: chatting.
My colleague hates driving in heavy traffic.
My colleague hates driving in heavy traffic.
Drive drops its silent -e: driving.
The children love drawing with chalk on the pavement.
The children love drawing with chalk on the pavement.
Draw forms drawing regularly, with no doubling or dropped letters.
To + base verb after these verbs
In this pattern, to is always followed by the base (dictionary) form: to + base, without -s, -ing, or a past-tense form. Use to swim, not to swims, to swimming, or to swam.
The first verb (like/love/hate/prefer/start/begin/continue) changes as usual: -s in the third-person singular, and -ed or an irregular form in the past. Only that verb changes, not the form after to.
In these infinitive patterns, use swim after to, not swimming. In other constructions, to can be a preposition followed by -ing: look forward to swimming means to anticipate swimming with pleasure.
Daniel prefers to walk home when the weather is fine.
Daniel prefers to walk home when the weather is fine.
Prefers has -s; to walk keeps the unchanged base form.
The choir began to rehearse the new song last week.
The choir began to rehearse the new song last week.
Began is in the past tense; to rehearse keeps the unchanged base form.
Negatives and questions
Form a negative with the usual auxiliary do/does + not before the base form of the first verb: don't like, doesn't hate, don't continue. Negation does not determine the complement's form (-ing or to); both alternatives remain possible.
In questions (Do you like…? / Does she prefer…? / What does he start…?), the first verb likewise returns to its base form after do/does. Third-person singular agreement is carried by the auxiliary.
In affirmative statements, third-person singular -s belongs on the first verb (likes, hates, prefers, starts, begins, continues), not on the verb that follows it.
Marta doesn't hate starting new projects, but she doesn't love it either.
Marta doesn't hate starting new projects, but she doesn't love it either.
Doesn't hate + starting: third-person singular agreement is carried by does, hate is in the base form, and the complement can still use either pattern.
Does your brother prefer walking or cycling to college?
Does your brother prefer walking or cycling to college?
Does + prefer (the base form without -s) is the usual question structure.
The limits of the rule: what it does not cover
Other verbs have their own common patterns: enjoy reading, avoid driving, want to leave, decide to stay. Learn the combinations together with their meanings rather than assuming that every verb allows both alternatives.
Some verbs genuinely change meaning depending on the form: stop, remember, try, and regret. I stopped smoking means that I gave up the activity; I stopped to smoke means that I paused another activity in order to smoke. These meanings are completely different. That contrast is a different phenomenon and is outside this rule.
A polite wish or offer with would like/love/prefer usually requires to: I’d like to help. This is not a universal ban on conditional expressions with -ing: I would hate living there can mean that living there would be unpleasant.
I stopped checking my phone during dinner.
I stopped checking my phone during dinner.
Stop + -ing means to cease an activity. This is outside the present rule: here the form changes the meaning.
I'd like to try that new bakery this weekend.
I'd like to try that new bakery this weekend.
Would like to try expresses a particular wish. This pattern uses to.
Common errors and contrasts with related rules
Do not mix the two patterns after like or start: like swimming / like to swim, start cycling / start to cycle. This rule applies to these constructions; it does not prohibit every combination of to + -ing.
Another common error is forgetting that the first verb, not the following form, agrees with the subject: she like swimming instead of she likes swimming.
A third error concerns related rules. If a verb takes only one of these two complement patterns (enjoy, want, avoid, decide, and so on), do not freely add the other pattern. A different rule applies there.
He suggested starting the meeting earlier next time.
He suggested starting the meeting earlier next time.
Suggest follows the related -ing pattern, not the list of verbs covered here.
Using the patterns in speech
Both patterns are often natural, but they are not always interchangeable. With states after start/begin, to is usually preferred: I’m beginning to understand. After a continuous form of the first verb, to also helps avoid two neighbouring -ing forms.
The most useful habit is not to get stuck choosing a form, but to check other details: third-person singular -s on the first verb, do-support in negatives and questions, and whether to and -ing have been incorrectly mixed in one construction.
You can combine several patterns in your own response. Choose the one that naturally conveys the activity, habit, beginning, or continuation.
I like walking home after work, and I love to read for an hour before bed.
I like walking home after work, and I love to read for an hour before bed.
Like + walking and love + to read naturally combine the two patterns in one sentence.
Common mistakes
Incorrect:I like to swimming in the sea every summer.
Correct:I like to swim in the sea every summer.
In this pattern after like, both to swim and swimming are possible. Like to swimming incorrectly mixes them.
Incorrect:My brother hate driving in heavy traffic.
Correct:My brother hates driving in heavy traffic.
The third-person singular requires -s on the first verb (hates); the complement's form stays unchanged.
Incorrect:The twins love play outside after school.
Correct:The twins love playing outside after school.
After love, do not use a bare base verb without -ing or to.
Incorrect:Our neighbours continue swiming in the lake even in October.
Correct:Our neighbours continue swimming in the lake even in October.
Swim doubles its final consonant before -ing: swimming, not swiming.
Incorrect:He started to cycling along the river last spring.
Correct:He started cycling along the river last spring.
Choose one pattern: started cycling or started to cycle, not a mixture of both.
Incorrect:Does your cousin likes repairing old bicycles?
Correct:Does your cousin like repairing old bicycles?
After auxiliary does, the main verb returns to its base form. Third-person singular agreement is carried by does, not like.
Incorrect:My uncle doesn't liking spicy food, so he always asks for a mild version.
Correct:My uncle doesn't like spicy food, so he always asks for a mild version.
After doesn't, the first verb has its base form (like). In this pattern, an -ing form could be a complement, but cannot replace like itself.