A. Look at these examples: * I enjoy dancing. (not 'I enjoy to dance') * Would you mind closing the door? (not 'mind to close') * Ian suggested going to the cinema. (not 'suggested to go') After enjoy, mind and suggest, we use ~ing (not to ...). Here are some more verbs that are followed by ~ing: stop delay fancy consider admit miss involve finish postpone imagine avoid deny risk practise * Suddenly everybody stopped talking. There was silence. * I'll do the shopping when I've finished cleaning the flat. * He tried to avoid answering my question. * I don't fancy going out this evening. * Have you ever considered going to live in another country? Note the negative form not ~ing: * When I'm on holiday, I enjoy not having to get up early. B. We also use ~ing after: give up (= stop) put off (= postpone) carry on/go on (= continue) keep or keep on (= do something continuously or repeatedly) * Paula has given up smoking. * We must do something. We can't go on living like this! (or ... carry on living ...) * Don't keep interrupting me while I'm speaking. (or Don't keep on interrupting ...) C. With some verbs you can use the structure verb + somebody + ~ing- * I can't imagine George riding a motorbike. * You can't stop me doing what I want. * 'Sorry to keep you waiting so long.' 'That's all right.' Note the passive form (being done/seen/kept etc.): * I don't mind being kept waiting. (= I don't mind people keeping me ...) D. When you are talking about finished actions, you can say having done/stolen/said etc.: * She admitted having stolen the money. But it is not necessary to use having (done). You can also use the simple ~ing form for finished actions: * She admitted stealing the money. * I now regret saying (or having said) what I said. For regret, see Unit 55B. E. After some of the verbs on this page (especially admit/deny/suggest) you can use that ... * She denied that she had stolen the money. (or She denied stealing ...) * Ian suggested that we went to the cinema. (or Ian suggested going ...) For suggest, see also Unit 34. EXERCISES 52.1 Complete each sentence with one of these verbs: answer apply be be listen make see try use wash work write 1. He tried to avoid _answering_ my question. 2. Could you please stop --- so much noise? 3. I enjoy --- to music. 4. I considered --- for the job but in the end I decided against it. 5. Have you finished --- your hair yet? 6. If you walk into the road without looking, you risk --- knocked down. 7. Jim is 65 but he isn't going to retire yet. He wants to carry on ---. 8. I don't mind you --- the phone as long as you pay for all your calls. 9. Hello! Fancy --- you here! What a surprise! 10. I've put off --- the letter so many times. I really must do it today. 11. What a stupid thing to do! Can you imagine anybody --- so stupid? 12. Sarah gave up ---to find a job in this country and decided to go abroad. 52,2 Complete the sentences for each situation using ~ing. 1. What shall we do? We could go to the cinema. She suggested going to the cinema. 2. Do you want to play tennis? No, not really. He didn't fancy --- 3. You were driving too fast. Yes, it's true. Sorry! She admitted --- 4. Why don't we go for a swim? Good idea! She suggested --- 5. You broke into the shop. No, I didn't! He denied --- 6. Can you wait a few minutes?. Sure, no problem. They didn't mind --- 52.3 Complete the sentences so that they mean the same as the first sentence. Use ~ing. 1. I can do what I want and you can't stop me. You can't stop me doing what I want. 2. It's not a good idea to travel during the rush hour. It's better to avoid --- 3. Shall we go away tomorrow instead of today? Shall we postpone --- until ---? 4. The driver of the car said it was true that he didn't have a licence. The driver of the car admitted --- 5. Could you turn the radio down, please? Would you mind ---? 6. Please don't interrupt me all the time. Would you mind? 52.4 Use your own ideas to complete these sentences. Use ~ing. 1. She's a very interesting person. I always enjoy _talking to her._ 2. I'm not feeling very well. I don't fancy --- 3. I'm afraid there aren't any chairs. I hope you don't mind --- 4. It was a lovely day, so I suggested --- 5. It was very funny. I couldn't stop --- 6. My car isn't very reliable. It keeps --- Answer 52.1 2 making 3 listening 4 applying 5 washing 6 being 7 working 8 using 9 seeing 10 writing 11 being 12 trying 52.2 2 playing tennis 3 driving too fast 4 going for a swim 5 breaking into the shop 6 waiting a few minutes 52.3 2 travelling during the rush hour 3 going away (until) tomorrow 4 not having a licence 5 turning the radio down 6 not interrupting me all the time 52.4 Example answers: 2 going out 3 sitting on the floor 4 having a picnic 5 laughing 6 breaking down
