A.
like love hate
can't bear enjoy dislike
mind can't stand
These
verbs and expressions all mean 'like' or 'not like'. They are often followed by
~ing:
* Ann
hates flying.
* Why do
you dislike living here?
* I
don't like people shouting at me. (= I don't like being shouted at.)
After
love, hate and can't bear, you can also use to ... So you can say:
* I love
meeting people. or I love to meet people.
* She
can't bear being alone. or She can't bear to be alone.
But
after enjoy/dislike/mind/can't stand, we use only ~ing (not 'to ...'):
* I
enjoy being alone. (not 'I enjoy to be')
* Tom
doesn't mind working at night. (not 'mind to work')
B.
Like
You can
say 'I like doing something' or 'I like to do something'. Often it doesn't
matter which you use, so you can say:
* I like
getting up early. or I like to get up early.
In
British English, there is sometimes a difference between 'I like doing' and 'I
like to do'.
'I like
doing something' means 'I enjoy it':
* Do you
like cooking? (= do you enjoy it?)
* I like
living here. (= I enjoy it)
'I like
to do something' means 'I think it is good or right +() do it':
* I like
to clean the kitchen as often as possible. (This doesn't mean that I enjoy it;
it means that I think it is a good thing to do.)
* Mary
likes people to be on time.
C.
Would like/would love/would hate/would prefer are usually followed by to ...
(infinitive):
* I
would like to be rich.
* Would
you like to come to dinner on Friday?
* I'd
love (= would love) to be able to travel round the world.
* Would
you prefer to have dinner now or later?
Compare
I like and I would like:
* I like
playing/to play tennis. (= I enjoy it in general)
* I
would like to play tennis today. (= I want to play today)
Note
that would mind is followed by ~ing (not to ...)
* Would
you mind closing the door, please?
D. You
can also say 'I would like to have done something' (= I regret now that I
didn't or couldn't do something):
* It's a
pity we didn't see Val when we were in London. I would like to have seen her
again.
* We'd
like to have gone on holiday but we didn't have enough money.
You can
use the same structure after would love/would hate/would prefer:
* Poor
old Tom! I would hate to have been in his position.
* I'd
love to have gone to the party but it was impossible.
EXERCISES
57.1
Complete the sentences with likes... or doesn't like... + one of the following
(in the correct form):
be kept
waiting do nothing drive
fly solve mysteries take photographs take risks
work in the open air
1.
George is a detective. He enjoys his work. He _likes solving mysteries._
2. Ann
very rarely travels by plane. She _doesn't like flying._
3. Rose
always carries her camera with her. She ---
4.
Christine doesn't use her car very often. She ---
5. Dave
is a gardener. He likes his job. He ---
6.
Jennifer is a very cautious person. She ---
7. Ted
is extremely lazy. He ---
8. Helen
is very impatient. She ---
57.2
Write sentences about yourself. Say whether you like or don't like these activities.
Choose one of these verbs for each sentence: (don't) like love
hate enjoy don't mind
1.
(flying) _I don't like flying._
2.
(playing cards)
3.
(doing the ironing)
4.
(going to museums)
5.
(lying on the beach all day)
57.3 How
would you feel about doing these jobs? In your sentences use one of these:
I'd
like/I wouldn't like I'd love I'd hate
I wouldn't mind
1. (a
teacher) _I wouldn't like to be a teacher._
2. (a
dentist)
3. (a
hairdresser)
4. (an
airline pilot)
5. (a tourist
guide)
57.4 Put
in a suitable verb in the correct form, ~ing or to ... Sometimes either form is
possible.
1. It's
nice to be with other people but sometimes I enjoy _being_ alone.
2. I'm
not quite ready yet. Do you mind --- a little longer?
3. When
I was a child, I hated --- to bed early.
4. I
don't enjoy --- letters. I can never think what to write.
5. I
need a new job. I can't stand --- here any more.
6. I
would love --- to your wedding but I'm afraid it isn't possible.
7.
Caroline never wears a hat. She doesn't like --- hats.
8.
'Would you like --- down?' 'No, thanks. I'll stand.'
9. When
I have to catch a train, I'm always worried that I'll miss it. So I like --- to
the station in plenty of time.
10. Have
you got a moment? I'd like --- to you about something.
.57.5
Write sentences like those in Section D. Use the verb in brackets.
1. It's
a pity I couldn't go to the wedding. (like)
_I would
like to have gone to the wedding._
2. It's
a pity I didn't see the programme. (like)
3. I'm
glad I didn't lose my watch. (hate)
4. It's
a pity I didn't meet Ann. (love)
5. I'm
glad I wasn't alone. (not/like)
6. It's
a pity I couldn't travel by train. (prefer)
Answer
57.1
3 likes
taking/to take photographs.
4
doesn't like driving/to drive.
5 likes
working/to work in the open air.
6
doesn't like taking/to take risks.
7 likes
doing/to do nothing.
8
doesn't like being/to be kept waiting.
57.2
Example answers:
2 I
don't mind playing cards.
3 I hate
doing the ironing.
4 I
enjoy going to museums.
5 I
don't like lying on the beach all day.
57.3
Example answers:
2 I
wouldn't like to be a dentist.
3 I'd
like to be a hairdresser.
4 I'd
hate to be an airline pilot.
5 I
wouldn't mind being a tourist guide.
57.4
2
waiting 3 going/to go
4
writing 5 working/being
6 to
come to go
7
wearing to wear
8 to
sit 9 to get
10 to
talk/to speak
57.5
2 I
would like/I'd like to have seen the programme.
3 I would
hate to have lost my watch.
4 I
would love to have met Ann.
5 I
wouldn't like to have been alone.
6 I
would prefer to have travelled by train.
