Like/Enjoy/Hate/Love +ING+VERBS

Every time you use the verbs Like/Love/Hate and Enjoy you need to use another verb. 

The form of the second verb depends on the first verb. You need to learn if the second verb is in the ING form or in the TO(infinitive form).

The verbs Like/Love/Hate usually take the ING form 

The verb Enjoy always takes the ING form 

Examples of verbs after Like/Love/Hate

I love playing tennis.

I like watching T.V after dinner.

I hate eating and walking at the same time.

Examples of Verbs after Enjoy

It is not possible to use TO after Enjoy 

I enjoy playing tennis.   I enjoy to play tennis.

I enjoy swimming in the sea.

You enjoy listening to the radio. 

VERB + ING 

The following verbs are followed by ING

enjoy mind stop finish suggest

I enjoy drinking coffee in the morning.

I don’t mind drinking tea without milk.

I stopped writing the book.

I finished studying for my exam.

I suggest listening to BBC 6 minute English. 

VERB+ TO (Infinitive)

want plan decide try hope expect offer forget need promise refuse learn

I want to go to India one day.

I planned to go to Australia but I didn’t go.

I tried to open the bottle.

I hope to learn Japanese soon.

I expected to pass the exam.

I offered to bring him home.

I needed to get a passport.

I promised to talk to her. 

I refused to take out the rubbish.

I learned to be patient.

When to use ING or infinitive with Like/Love/Hate

There is a small difference between when you use ING or TO with these verbs.

I like waking up early.(generally)

I like to wake up early. (it is a good idea)

I like drinking coffee.(generally)

I like to add cinnamon to my coffee.(it is a good idea, my preference).

We use ING to say that we like things in general. It is the most common form.

Sometimes we use TO when we want to add emphasis that it is our preference. 

Is it Gerund or infinitive after the verb to be?

The verb to be does not need a second verb. 

Remember

We use the verb to be:

Adjectives

I am tired.

You are beautiful.

Continuous sentences

I am playing football.

You are reading this sentence.

The passive voice.

He was arrested by the police.

I was caught by the teacher.

Prefer + ING?

Prefer is the same as Like/Love/Hate. It is more common to use the ING form but the TO(infinitve form) is also possible. 

I prefer walking (in general). 

I prefer to walk on the sand (my preference). 

I like to swim or I like swimming?

This is the same as the examples above but let’s think about when we use each one(both are correct).

I like swimming.

In this case we are talking about swimming in general as a sport. 

I like to swim in the sea.

In this case we want to say that it is our preference to swim in the sea and that it is better than swimming in a swimming pool for example.