Ch 9
The -ing Form
After verbs · after prepositions · meaning change
The -ing form (gerund) functions as a noun. It can be the subject of a sentence, the object of a verb, or follow a preposition.
As subject
Swimming is great exercise.
After certain verbs
I enjoy reading. / She avoids driving in traffic.
After prepositions
She's good at solving problems. / I'm thinking of leaving.
After "go" for activities
Let's go swimming. / We went hiking.
avoid
She avoids eating late.
finish
Have you finished reading?
keep / keep on
He keeps interrupting.
mind (in questions/negatives)
Do you mind waiting?
suggest
She suggested going to the cinema.
can't stand / can't help
I can't stand waiting.
good at
She is good at drawing.
interested in
He is interested in learning Japanese.
thinking of/about
I'm thinking of moving.
before / after
Before leaving, check all the doors. / After eating, we went for a walk.
without
He left without saying goodbye.
to as a preposition (not part of infinitive) also takes -ing: I look forward to seeing you. / She's used to working late.
remember + -ing
I remember meeting her. (I recall the past event)
remember + to
I remembered to call. (I didn't forget the future task)
stop + -ing
She stopped smoking. (quit the habit)
stop + to
She stopped to smoke. (stopped walking in order to smoke)
try + -ing
Try adding more salt. (experiment)
try + to
I tried to open the jar. (attempted)
I enjoy to swim.
→
I enjoy swimming.
enjoy always takes -ing
She is good at to solve problems.
→
She is good at solving problems.
after preposition "at" → -ing
I look forward to see you.
→
I look forward to seeing you.
"to" here is a preposition, not part of infinitive
Before leave, turn off the lights.
→
Before leaving, turn off the lights.
before/after + -ing
Recap
After enjoy/avoid/finish/mind
always -ing
enjoy swimming, avoid driving
After prepositions
always -ing
good at solving, before leaving
As subject
-ing = noun
Swimming is good for you.
Meaning change
remember/stop/try + -ing vs to = different meaning
stopped smoking vs stopped to smoke