5.

1 Verb patterns

Here are four verb patterns with lists of verbs that use each pattern.
1 Verb + to + infinitive
I need to buy a new coat. I’d love to meet your cousin.
choose decide forget promise manage help

hope try want would like

2 Verb + -ing
I like meeting new people.
love enjoy hate finish stop

3 Verb + -ing or + to + infinitive with no change in meaning.

It started to snow/snowing in the morning.
I’ve begun to walk/walking to work.

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 5.1 Verb patterns

4 Verb + preposition + -ing

He’s thinking of having a party for his birthday.
We’re looking forward to finishing our exams.

like doing and would like to do

1 Like doing and love doing express a general enjoyment.

I love living in London. I live in London now and I love it.

I like studying Spanish. I study Spanish and I like it.

2 Would like to do and would love to do express a preference now or

at a specific time.
I’d love to live in London. I want to live in London in the future.
I’d like to study Spanish. I want to study Spanish, if possible.

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 5.1 Verb patterns

3 Notice how to answer questions with would you like.

Would you like to join us? Yes, I would./Yes, I’d love to.
Would you like to come for lunch? Yes, I would./No, thank you.

This is the polite way to say no.

NOT No, I wouldn’t.
4 Complete the sentences.

1 Tom promised ___ (help) me. Tom promised to help me.

2 I hate ___ (cook)! I hate cooking!
3 I’m thinking of ___ (move). I’m thinking of moving.
4 We’d like ___ (go) on holiday. We’d like to go on holiday.
5 It’s stopped ___ (rain). It’s stopped raining.

© Oxford University Press