e.g. Subject + verb + sb/sth + "to-inf" + object.
Sometimes we would use "verb+ing".
e.g.Subject + verb + sb/sth + "verb+ing" + object.
Thank you for you answere.
Answers:
English has two verbal nouns: infinitives (to go, to study, etc.) and gerunds (going, studying, etc.). Knowing how to use them is somewhat complicated. However, there are a few useful rules:
1. both may the subject of a verb (any verb except for the modals, such as may, might, can, etc.):
Smoking (To smoke) should be forbidden.
2. both may be objects of certain verbs (such as attempt, bear, begin, continue, dislike, fear, hate, like, intend, love, prefer, omit, propose, start, learn):
They began talking (to talk).
3. with certain verbs the infinitive and gerund constructions have different meaning:
FORGET, REMEMBER, REGRET
I regret to inform you that you have not passed the exam (the verb "regret" refers to an action that has taken place after the regretting), that is, "regret" comes first; "informing" comes after.
I regret having told him that he had not passed (the gerund--having [told]--refers to an action that has taken place before the regretting), that is, first, I "tell him"; then, I "I regret".
WANT, NEED (the gerund has a passive meaning):
My car needs washing. (= needs to be washed)
TO TRY (= to make an attempt); TRYING (=to make a trial or an experiment)
I must try to understand this.
Try reading it again. It will help you understand it.
4. GERUNDS (after prepositions, such as at, in, on, of, without, etc.):
He got rich by working 14 hours a day.
She is very good at breeding dogs.
5. TO DO + A LOT OF + -ing:
We did a lot of drinking and dancing last night.
6. Certain verbs (ask, choose, want, mean, etc.) may be followed (A) by an infinitive or (B) by an object + infinitive (with different meanings):
She asked to leave./ She asked them to leave.
7. Some verbs (allow, advise, compel, force, invite, etc.) are never used with an infinitive alone:
He advised us to tell you the whole story.
8. Some verbs (imagine, finish, not help, prevent, stop, etc.) are always followed by a gerund construction:
Stop talking!
9. Verbs of sensation (see, hear, observe, watch, notice, feel, smell) may be followed by a gerund or a bare-infinitive (= infinitive without "to"):
I saw her talking to him. ("-ing" indicates that the focus is on the progress of the action).
I saw her talk to him. ("talk" indicates that the focus is on the completed action).
This is just a bird's-eye view of the topic.
"to-inf" means that you are doing the action in the present.
"verb+ing," at least in spanish, means that you are doing the action at that exact second, or are in the middle of the action.
I enjoy swimming.
I like to swim in the river.
I enjoy watching TV.
I like to watch the Simpsons on TV.
I enjoy reading.
I like to read comics.
I like to read.
I like reading.
Generally they are the same.
But the first is more of you saying that you like doing the verb.
The second is more that you like the verb.
You'll be understood either way. But using the infinitive is more specific.
An example where you can tell a difference.
I like to fight.
I like fighting.
The first one, you are saying that, you, yourself personally like to fight.
Where as in the second one, it can mean that you like to watch fights. You can't infer that one from the first one.
Generally, we assume that they mean the same thing.
"verb+ing" can be used to change a verb (e.g. swim) into a noun (swimming), that sometimes doesn't need any other object afterwards because the "verb+ing" is already acting as an object.
I like swimming.
I like chocolate.
I like swimming in the ocean.
I like chocolate with marshmallow.
"I like to swim" has the same meaning, it just has different structure, that's all.
Look up the word 'gerund' on the internet. Then look up 'gerundive' if you're still interested.
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