Verb patterns: want to / enjoy -ing

Rules

• Rule 1: Verbs + to + verb

  Verbs about wishes, decisions, plans and the future usually take to + verb: want, need, would like, decide, hope, plan, learn, promise, agree, offer, refuse.

  Pattern: want / decide / hope … + to + verb

  Example: She wants to be a pilot.

  Example: We decided to paint the fence.

• Rule 2: Verbs + -ing

  After enjoy, finish, mind, practice, keep, avoid, miss, suggest, the next verb takes -ing.

  Pattern: enjoy / finish / keep … + verb-ing

  Example: I enjoy drawing animals.

  Example: Did you finish cleaning your room?

• Rule 3: like / love / hate → both

  like, love, hate can take -ing or to + verb with almost the same meaning. The to-form is very common in American English. But would like always takes to.

  Pattern: like swimming = like to swim · would like to swim

  Example: I love dancing. = I love to dance.

  Example: I would like to dance with you.

• Rule 4: Wanting someone else to do something

  Use want / would like + person + to + verb. The person is an object pronoun (me, him, her, us, them).

  Pattern: want + me / him / her + to + verb

  Example: My teacher wants us to read every day.

  Example: I'd like you to meet my friend.

Common mistakes

• I enjoy to read. → I enjoy reading.

  enjoy always takes -ing.

• I want going home. → I want to go home.

  want → to + verb.

• My mom wants that I study. → My mom wants me to study.

  Use want + person + to + verb, not “that”.