Look at these examples:
* I enjoy dancing. (not 'I enjoy to dance')
* Would you mind closing the door? (not 'mind to close')
* Ian suggested going to the cinema. (not 'suggested to go')
After enjoy, mind and suggest, we use ~ing (not to ...).
Here are some more verbs that are followed by ~ing:
stop delay fancy consider admit miss involve finish postpone imagine avoid deny risk practise
* Suddenly everybody stopped talking. There was silence.
* I'll do the shopping when I've finished cleaning the flat.
* He tried to avoid answering my question.
* I don't fancy going out this evening.
* Have you ever considered going to live in another country?
Note the negative form not ~ing:
* When I'm on holiday, I enjoy not having to get up early.
We also use ~ing after:
give up (= stop) put off (= postpone) carry on/go on (= continue) keep or keep on (= do something continuously or repeatedly)
* Paula has given up smoking.
* We must do something. We can't go on living like this! (or ... carry on living ...)
* Don't keep interrupting me while I'm speaking. (or Don't keep on interrupting ...)
With some verbs you can use the structure verb + somebody + ~ing-
* I can't imagine George riding a motorbike.
* You can't stop me doing what I want.
* 'Sorry to keep you waiting so long.' 'That's all right.'
Note the passive form (being done/seen/kept etc.):
* I don't mind being kept waiting. (= I don't mind people keeping me ...)
When you are talking about finished actions, you can say having done/stolen/said etc.:
* She admitted having stolen the money.
But it is not necessary to use having (done). You can also use the simple ~ing form for finished actions:
* She admitted stealing the money.
* I now regret saying (or having said) what I said.
After some of the verbs on this page (especially admit/deny/suggest) you can use that ...
* She denied that she had stolen the money. (or She denied stealing ...)
* Ian suggested that we went to the cinema. (or Ian suggested going ...)
EXERCISES
52.1 Complete each sentence with one of these verbs:
answer apply be be listen make see try use wash work write
1. He tried to avoid _answering_ my question.
2. Could you please stop --- so much noise?
3. I enjoy --- to music.
4. I considered --- for the job but in the end I decided against it.
5. Have you finished --- your hair yet?
6. If you walk into the road without looking, you risk --- knocked down.
7. Jim is 65 but he isn't going to retire yet. He wants to carry on ---.
8. I don't mind you --- the phone as long as you pay for all your calls.
9. Hello! Fancy --- you here! What a surprise!
10. I've put off --- the letter so many times. I really must do it today.
11. What a stupid thing to do! Can you imagine anybody --- so stupid?
12. Sarah gave up ---to find a job in this country and decided to go abroad.
52,2 Complete the sentences for each situation using ~ing.
1. What shall we do? We could go to the cinema.
She suggested going to the cinema.
2. Do you want to play tennis? No, not really.
He didn't fancy ---
3. You were driving too fast. Yes, it's true. Sorry!
She admitted ---
4. Why don't we go for a swim? Good idea!
She suggested ---
5. You broke into the shop. No, I didn't!
He denied ---
6. Can you wait a few minutes?. Sure, no problem.
They didn't mind ---
52.3 Complete the sentences so that they mean the same as the first sentence. Use ~ing.
1. I can do what I want and you can't stop me.
You can't stop me doing what I want.
2. It's not a good idea to travel during the rush hour.
It's better to avoid ---
3. Shall we go away tomorrow instead of today?
Shall we postpone --- until ---?
4. The driver of the car said it was true that he didn't have a licence.
The driver of the car admitted ---
5. Could you turn the radio down, please?
Would you mind ---?
6. Please don't interrupt me all the time.
Would you mind?
52.4 Use your own ideas to complete these sentences. Use ~ing.
1. She's a very interesting person. I always enjoy _talking to her._
2. I'm not feeling very well. I don't fancy ---
3. I'm afraid there aren't any chairs. I hope you don't mind ---
4. It was a lovely day, so I suggested ---
5. It was very funny. I couldn't stop ---
6. My car isn't very reliable. It keeps ---
52.1
2 making 3 listening
4 applying 5 washing
6 being 7 working
8 using 9 seeing
10 writing 11 being
12 trying
52.2
2 playing tennis
3 driving too fast
4 going for a swim
5 breaking into the shop
6 waiting a few minutes
52.3
2 travelling during the rush hour
3 going away (until) tomorrow
4 not having a licence
5 turning the radio down
6 not interrupting me all the time
52.4 Example answers:
2 going out
3 sitting on the floor
4 having a picnic
5 laughing
6 breaking down
