{"id":811,"date":"2026-03-20T15:25:59","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T15:25:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/acidiomas.com\/?post_type=gramatica&p=811"},"modified":"2026-03-25T13:43:26","modified_gmt":"2026-03-25T13:43:26","slug":"infinitive-and-ing-forms","status":"publish","type":"gramatica","link":"https:\/\/acidiomas.com\/fr\/gramatica\/infinitive-and-ing-forms\/","title":{"rendered":"Infinitive and -ing forms"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The -ing Form\n\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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The \"-ing\" ending is added to an infinitive verb and it has different uses:\u00a0<\/p> <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n \n With the Continuous Form (be + -ing)<\/span>\n <\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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After the auxiliary\u00a0\"be\"\u00a0<\/b>we always use the\u00a0-ing<\/b> form (except for passive form):<\/p>

I'm<\/span> reading<\/span> a book.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0She was <\/span>listening<\/span> to music.<\/p>

We've been <\/span>travelling<\/span>,\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 She may be<\/span> sleeping<\/span>.<\/p> <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n As an adjective<\/span> <\/div>\n \n
\n \n
\n <\/div>\n \n \n
\n This book is fascinating<\/span>. <\/div>\n
\n What an amazing<\/span> story! <\/div>\n
\n This teacher is boring<\/span>! <\/div>\n
\n This is an interesting<\/span>\u00a0fact. <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n After a preposition<\/span> <\/div>\n \n
\n \n
\n <\/div>\n \n \n
\n I'm good at skiing.<\/span> <\/div>\n
\n After finishing<\/span> work, I'll go home. <\/div>\n
\n Are you interested in working<\/span>\u00a0for us? <\/div>\n
\n How about meeting tonight at 9? <\/div>\n
\n Thanks for inviting<\/span> me! <\/div>\n
\n The advantage of having<\/span> a car is that... <\/div>\n
\n It goes without saying<\/span>! <\/div>\n
\n You can improve your English by studying<\/span> more. <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Exception<\/span><\/strong>:\u00a0After the preposition \"to\"<\/strong> you often use the infinitive<\/strong> form, (after a verb followed by \"to\" or to express the reason why you do something (=\"in order to\"):<\/p>

I want to go<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 I need you to come.<\/span>\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 The President is expected to speak <\/span>this afternoon<\/p>

I study to pass<\/span> the exam,\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 He did it to impress<\/span> her.<\/p>

But the -ing <\/strong>form is used after \"to\"<\/strong> with some verbs and expressions:<\/p>

I'm looking forward to seeing<\/span> you.\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0 I'm used to having<\/span> a bath on Sundays.<\/p> <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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\n \n See more to+ -ing<\/span>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n When a verb is subject<\/span> <\/div>\n \n
\n \n
\n <\/div>\n \n \n
\n I'm good at skiing.<\/span> <\/div>\n
\n Playing <\/span>Squash is my favourite hobby. <\/div>\n
\n Travelling <\/span>has enriched the young man. <\/div>\n
\n Losing<\/span> must be hard to accept for him. <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n -ing clauses...<\/span> <\/div>\n \n
\n \n
\n <\/div>\n \n \n
\n to say how you do something or after "while and "when": <\/div>\n
\n Joe hurt his knee (while) playing <\/span>football. <\/div>\n
\n He fell missing a step (when) walking<\/span> down the stairs. <\/div>\n
\n to say why you do something or explain something: <\/div>\n
\n Feeling<\/span> tired, I went to bed early. <\/div>\n
\n Being<\/span> unemployed, he doesn't have much money. <\/div>\n
\n Not having<\/span> a car, she finds it difficult to get around. <\/div>\n
\n Having<\/span> already seen the film twice, I didn't want to go to the cinema. <\/div>\n
\n to say two things happen at the same time: <\/div>\n
\n Kate is in the kitchen making <\/span>coffee. <\/div>\n
\n They have dinner watching<\/span> T.V. <\/div>\n
\n Don't stand here doing<\/span> nothing! <\/div>\n
\n to say an action happened (just) before another action: <\/div>\n
\n Having found<\/span> a hotel, we went out for dinner. <\/div>\n
\n Having finished<\/span> her work, she went home. <\/div>\n
\n Taking<\/span> a key out of his pocket, he opened the door. <\/div>\n
\n like a relative clause: <\/div>\n
\n The man holding<\/span> <\/span>the gun is a policeman. <\/div>\n
\n The buiding standing<\/span> <\/span>there is famous. <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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-ing or To + Infinitive or Bare Infinitive\n<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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When a verb is followed by another verb there are 3 possibilities<\/strong>:<\/p>

I want to play <\/span>basketball (to + infinitive<\/span>)<\/p>

I enjoy playing<\/span> basketball (-ing<\/span>)<\/p>

Live and let live<\/span>\u00a0! (bare infinitive<\/span>)<\/p> <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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<\/div>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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\n \n
\n \n Lesson<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n List <\/span>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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Exercises<\/h3>\n \n
\n \n Exercise 1<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n Exercise 2<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n Exercise 3<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n Exercise 4<\/span>\n <\/a>\n \n Exercise 5<\/span>\n <\/a>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n \t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"idioma":[3],"class_list":["post-811","gramatica","type-gramatica","status-publish","hentry","idioma-ingles"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/acidiomas.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/gramatica\/811","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/acidiomas.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/gramatica"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/acidiomas.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/gramatica"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/acidiomas.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/gramatica\/811\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1693,"href":"https:\/\/acidiomas.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/gramatica\/811\/revisions\/1693"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/acidiomas.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=811"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"idioma","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acidiomas.com\/fr\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/idioma?post=811"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}