Unit 58. Verb + -ing or to … 3 (like / would like etc.)

Unit 58- Part A

Like / love / hate
When you talk about repeated actions, you can use -ing or to … after these verbs. So you can say:
•    Do you like getting up early?    or   Do you like to get up early?
•    Stephanie hates flying.    or   Stephanie hates to fly.
•    I love meeting people.    or   I love to meet people.
•    I don’t like being kept waiting.    or    … like to be kept waiting.
•    I don’t like friends calling me at work.    or   … friends to call me at work.

but
(1) We use -ing (not to …) when we talk about a situation that already exists (or existed). For example:
•    Paul lives in Berlin now. He likes living there.  (He likes living in Berlin = He lives there and he likes it)
•    Do you like being a student?  (You are a student – do you like it?)
•    The office I worked in was horrible. I hated working there.   (I worked there and I hated it)

(2) There is sometimes a difference between I like to do and I like doing:
I like doing something = I do it and I enjoy it:
•    I like cleaning the kitchen.  (= I enjoy it.)

I like to do something = I think it is a good thing to do, but I don’t necessarily enjoy it:
•    It’s not my favourite job, but I like to clean the kitchen as often as possible.

Note that enjoy and mind are always followed by -ing (not to …):
•    I enjoy cleaning the kitchen.  (not I enjoy to clean)
•    I don’t mind cleaning the kitchen.  (not I don’t mind to clean)

Unit 58- Part B

Would like / would love / would hate / would prefer
Would like / would love etc. are usually followed by to … :
•    I‘d like (= would like) to go away for a few days.
•    Would you like to come to dinner on Friday?
•    I wouldn’t like to go on holiday alone.
•    I‘d love to meet your family.
•    Would you prefer to have dinner now or later?

Compare I like and I would like (I’d like):
•    I like playing tennis. / I like to play tennis.  (= I like it in general)
•    I‘d like to play tennis today.  (= I want to play today)

Would mind is always followed by -ing (not to …):
•    Would you mind closing the door, please?

Unit 58- Part C

I would like to have done something = I regret now that I didn’t or couldn’t do it:

•    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 away, but we were too busy at home.

You can use the same structure after would love / would hate / would prefer:
•    Poor old David! I would hate to have been in his position.
•    I‘d love to have gone to the party, but it was impossible.

Exercises

{slide=1 Write sentences about yourself.}Write sentences about yourself. Say whether you like or don’t like these activities. Choose one of these verbs for each sentence:
{tooltip}Key.{end-link}Example answers:
2    I don’t mind playing cards.
3    I don’t like being alone.   or … to be alone.
4    I enjoy going to museums.
5    I love cooking.   or    I love to cook.{end-tooltip}

1    (fly)     I don’t like flying.      or      I don’t like to fly.   
2    (play cards)  ___________________________________
3    (be alone)  ___________________________________
4    (go to museums)  ___________________________________
5    (cook)  ___________________________________ {/slide} {slide=2 Make sentences from the words in brackets.}Make sentences from the words in brackets. Use -ing or to … . Sometimes either form is possible.
{tooltip}Key.{end-link}2   She likes teaching biology.
3    He likes taking photographs. or   He likes to take photographs.
4    I didn’t like working there.
5    She likes studying medicine.
6    He doesn’t like being famous.
7    She doesn’t like taking risks. or She doesn’t like to take risks.
8    I like to know things in advance.{end-tooltip}

1    Paul lives in Berlin now. It’s nice. He likes it.
      (he / like / live / there)     He likes living there.   
2    Jane is a biology teacher. She likes her job.
      (she / like / teach / biology)  She ______________________
3    Joe always carries his camera with him and takes a lot of photographs.
      (he / like / take / photographs) ______________________
4    I used to work in a supermarket. I didn’t like it much.
      (I / not / like / work / there) ______________________
5    Rachel is studying medicine. She likes it.
      (she / like / study / medicine) ______________________
6    Dan is famous, but he doesn’t like it.
      (he / not / like / be / famous) ______________________
7    Jennifer is a very cautious person. She doesn’t take many risks.
      (she / not / like / take / risks) ______________________
8    I don’t like surprises.
      (I / like / know / things / in advance) ______________________ {/slide} {slide=3 Complete each sentence with a verb in the correct form.}Complete each sentence with a verb in the correct form, -ing or to … . In one sentence either form is possible.
{tooltip}Key.{end-link}2    to sit
3    waiting
4    going    or    to go
5    to get
6    being
7    to come / to go
8    living
9    to talk
10    to have / to know / to get / to hear / to be told{end-tooltip}

1    It’s good to visit other places – I enjoy   travelling   .
2    ‘Would you like _______________ down?’   ‘No, thanks. I’ll stand.’
3    I’m nor quite ready yet. Would you mind _______________ a little longer?
4    When I was a child. I hated _______________ to bed early.
5    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.
6    I enjoy _______________ busy. I don’t like it when there’s nothing to do.
7    I would love _______________ to your wedding, but I’m afraid it isn’t possible.
8    I don’t like _______________ in this part of town. I want to move somewhere else.
9    Do you have a minute? I’d like _______________ to you about something.
10  If there’s bad news and good news. I like _______________ the bad news first. {/slide} {slide=4 Write sentences using would … to have (done). }Write sentences using would … to have (done). Use the verbs in brackets.
{tooltip}Key.{end-link}2    I would like/I’d like to have seen the programme.
3    I would hate / I’d hate to have lost my watch.
4    I would love / I’d love to have met your parents.
5    I wouldn’t like to have been alone.
6    I would prefer / I’d prefer to have travelled by train.  or  I would have preferred to travel …{end-tooltip}

1    It’s a pity I couldn’t go to the wedding. (like)
         I woud 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 your parents.  (love)
      _________________________________________
5    I’m glad I wasn’t alone.  (not/ like)
      _________________________________________
6    It’s a pity I couldn’t travel by train.  (prefer)
      _________________________________________ {/slide}

Unit 57      Unit 58     Unit 59