To ING or not to ING, that is the question!
By Jackie Walters
EuroLogos.com
www.eurologos.com
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"Are you finished cooking supper?" " I
decided to order a pizza."
Why do we say "finished cooking" and
"decided to order"? For some reason
when two English verbs are used together in a
sentence, the second verb will either be an "-ing"
form or an infinitive form (to + verb).
People who grow up in English-speaking countries
seem to learn these patterns automatically. They
just know that some things "sound right"
and other things do not. If you have grown up
speaking another language, then each one of these
verbs will be a problem because there is no pattern
or system to learn.
Every example must be memorised. However, the
more you read and listen to English, the closer
you will come to being able to "feel"
which usage is right. Practice, practice, practice
| Need
-ing verbs
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Example
|
Use
TO + verb
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Example
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Imagine
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Can
you imagine owning a Porsche?
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offer
|
Did
you offer to mow the grass?
|
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Admit
|
Henry
admitted robbing the store.
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promise
|
Politicians
promise to fix our problems.
|
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Finish
|
I
finished doing the job.
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hope
|
Inga
hoped to enter the Olympics.
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Risk
|
Investors
risk losing their money.
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afford
|
Bob
could not afford to miss work.
|
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Practice
|
Ellen
practices singing every day.
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fail
|
David
failed to stop for the red light.
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Delay
|
Don't
delay sending your payment.
|
decide
|
The
driver decided to change lanes.
|
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Consider
|
Will
you consider staying home?
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aim
|
We
aim to please!
|
|
Deny
|
Fred
denied cheating on the test.
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learn
|
Jackie
will learn to type someday.
|
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Involve
|
The
contest involved writing an essay.
|
deserve
|
Rover
deserves to have a treat.
|
|
Stop
|
Please
stop kicking my chair.
|
plan
|
Roy
plans to retire early.
|
|
Postpone
|
Mary
postponed having the party.
|
arrange
|
They
arranged to fly home.
|
|
Avoid
|
Sam
avoided signing the contract.
|
attempt
|
Don't
attempt to get out of bed yet.
|
|
Miss
|
I
miss playing tennis in the summer.
|
manage
|
Can
you manage to climb the ladder?
|
|
put
off
|
Many
kids put off taking their baths.
|
forget
|
Will
Sally forget to bring a salad?
|
|
carry
on
|
We
must carry on doing the right thing.
|
refuse
|
Willy
refused to finish his vegetables.
|
|
give
up
|
You
should give up smoking today.
|
threaten
|
The
man on the roof threatened to jump
|
Fun Exercise A: Circle the correct verb form
in the following sentences.
1. Grace could not imagine (to wear) (wearing)
her hair in curlers when she leaves the house.
2. Mark agreed (to wash) (washing) the dishes
after supper.
3. Most hikers avoid (to walk) (walking) in
bare feet.
4. The store manager offered (to pay) (paying)
for the Christmas party.
5. A nurse should not fail (to give) (giving)
the correct medicine to her patients.
6. Betty's new job involved (to lift) (lifting)
heavy boxes.
7. Jim's little brother admitted (to break)
(breaking) the model airplane.
8. Have you decided (to go) (going) fishing
with us?
9. Mother said, "Will you please stop (to slurp)
(slurping) your soup!"
10. The little old lady attempted (to cross)
(crossing) the busy road on foot.
|
Example:
They deny
|
dropping
|
closing
|
seeing
|
|
Example: They
plan
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to
arrive
|
to
buy
|
to
drink
|
|
1.
I threatened +
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|
|
|
|
2.
He hopes +
|
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3.
We risk +
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4.
They offer +
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5.
She forgot +
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6.
You miss +
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Fun
exercise C: Put a correct verb form in the blanks
in the following sentences. Use the following
verbs: solve, perform, see, buy, paint, clean,
live,
1. Donald managed _________________ the
difficult problem.
2. The doctor decided ________________the operation
before it was too late.
3. One should not delay _________________ a
doctor after an automobile accident.
4. Can you afford _____________________________
a new car this year?
5. When will you finish ___________________________
the walls?
6. The old man offered ___my windshield while
I waited for the traffic light to change.
7. Can you imagine _______________________ in
an old castle during the winter?
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