Verb + -ing and Verb + to + infinitive (A1)

1. What does “verb pattern” mean?

A verb pattern tells you what form comes after a verb (for example, -ing or to + base verb). In this lesson, you will learn how to talk about likes, dislikes, and preferences using these two patterns.

Some verbs are followed by:

-ing (dancing)
to + base verb (to dance), also called the to-infinitive

2. Verb + -ing (likes and dislikes)

Use verb + -ing with these verbs:

like
love
hate
enjoy

These are useful first examples, not a complete list. English has many other verbs that take -ing, to + base verb, or sometimes both. For example, like, love, and hate can also take to + base verb, but the -ing pattern is a good choice when you talk generally about activities.

2.1 Structure

Subject + like/love/hate/enjoy + verb + -ing

2.2 Examples

Positive:

I like reading.
She loves dancing.
He hates waking up early.
They enjoy watching TV.

Negative:

I don’t like cooking.
He doesn’t like studying at night.
She doesn’t like getting up early.

Questions and short answers:

Do you enjoy cooking? — Yes, I do. / No, I don’t.
Does she like dancing? — Yes, she does. / No, she doesn’t.
Do you hate waiting? — Yes, I do. / No, I don’t.

The short answer uses only do or does. If you give a long answer, the -ing form does not change:

Do you enjoy cooking? — Yes, I enjoy cooking.
Does she like dancing? — Yes, she likes dancing.

2.3 Verbs that can use both patterns

With like, love, and hate, both patterns are possible. At A1, -ing is the safer usual choice.

Both forms are common in British and American English. British English may use like doing a little more, while American English may use like to do a little more. The difference is small.

Verb	Verb + -ing	Verb + to + base verb
like	I like cooking.	I like to cook on Sundays.
love	I love swimming.	I love to swim on Saturdays.
hate	I hate getting up early.	I hate to get up early on Mondays.

2.4 Spelling with -ing

dance → dancing: drop one final e.
run → running; sit → sitting; swim → swimming: each of these short verbs has one vowel letter before one final consonant, so double the final consonant.
rain → raining; read → reading: do not double the final consonant because rain and read have two vowel letters before it.
snow → snowing; fix → fixing: never double a final w, x, or y, even when one vowel letter comes before it.
study → studying; play → playing: keep y.
lie → lying: change ie to y.
see → seeing; agree → agreeing; be → being: keep the e or ee.

These are common spelling patterns, not a complete list.

Use enjoy + -ing: I enjoy cooking, not I enjoy to cook.

3. Verb + to + base verb (the to-infinitive): wants and plans

We use verb + to + base verb to talk about:

wants
plans
decisions: something you choose to do

We use verb + to + base verb with these words:

want
need
hope
plan
decide

These are also examples, not a complete list. When you learn a new verb, learn the pattern that follows it too.

3.1 Structure

Subject + want/need/hope/plan/decide + to + base verb

3.2 Examples

Positive:

I want to learn English.
They want to eat at home.
She needs to study.
He hopes to travel.
I plan to visit my grandmother.
He decides to walk home.

Negative:

I don’t want to learn English.
She doesn’t need to study.
She doesn’t plan to travel this year.

Questions:

Use do with I, you, we, and they. Use does with he, she, and it:

Do you want to learn English? — Yes, I do. / No, I don’t.
Do they need to leave now? — Yes, they do. / No, they don’t.
Does he hope to travel this year? — Yes, he does. / No, he doesn’t.
Does she plan to visit her family? — Yes, she does. / No, she doesn’t.

Quick check

Try one question now

I need early every morning for work.

Check your answer when you are ready.

4. Would like

Use would like + to + base verb to say what you want in a polite way. Would like is more polite than want. It takes to + base verb, not -ing.

Compare these two meanings:

I like cooking. → I enjoy cooking in general.
I would like to cook tonight. → I want to cook on this occasion.

4.1 Structure

Positive: subject + would like + to + base verb
Negative: subject + would not (wouldn’t) like + to + base verb
Question: Would + subject + like + to + base verb?

4.2 Examples

I would like to drink some water.
She would like to learn English.
I’d like to order a coffee. (I’d = I would)
I wouldn’t like to work at night.
Would you like to sit here? — Yes, please. / No, thank you.
Would she like to join us? — Yes, she would. / No, she wouldn’t.

✗ I would like drinking water.
✓ I would like to drink water.

At A1, remember would like to + base verb as one useful polite pattern. You can study its other forms and more detailed contrasts at A2.

5. Comparison

Use this table as a quick reference:

First verb	Pattern	Example
like, love, hate, enjoy	verb + -ing	I enjoy cooking.
want, need, hope, plan, decide	to + base verb	I want to cook.
would like	to + base verb	I’d like to cook.

Compare the patterns in a similar situation:

I like cooking. → Cooking is an activity I enjoy in general.
I want to cook dinner. → Cooking dinner is a specific plan or intention now.
I’d like to cook. → I politely say that I want to cook on this occasion.

Compare like and would like with a noun:

I like coffee. → Coffee is something I enjoy in general.
I’d like a coffee now. → I politely ask for one coffee now.

6. Memory help

Use this checklist:

Is it a feeling about an activity? Choose verb + -ing.
Is it a want, plan, or choice? Choose to + base verb.
Check the first verb: enjoy needs -ing; want needs to + base verb.

Self-test

Write the correct form for all five sentences before you read on.

She likes ___ (dance).
They hope ___ (travel).
We enjoy ___ (cook).
I plan ___ (visit) my aunt.
I would like ___ (order) tea.

For each sentence, look at the first verb and use the checklist above: like and enjoy are feelings about an activity, so they take -ing; hope, plan, and would like point to a want or a plan, so they take to + base verb.

Answers

dancing; 2. to travel; 3. cooking; 4. to visit; 5. to order.