the ing-form

[balakrishnanijk]

What is the difference between the two sentences?
She admitted to committing adultery with her old flame.
She admitted to having committed adultery with her old flame.
If there is no difference at all, is it perfectly all right to use the continuous form instead of the perfect form in all cases?

[Anglika]

The first sentence tells you she is still doing this; the second tells you that she had done it in the past but does not necessarily still do it.

[mochimochi]

Some kinds of verb, such as remember, forget, regret, can have both ing object and having p,p. object, but mean the same.

I regret saying so.
I regret having said so.

I remember being taken to the zoo.
I remember having been taken to the zoo.

[2006]

I don't agree that one sentence says she is still doing it.
To me, both sentences simply say that she admitted that she committed adultery with her old flame. (talking about the past)

Imagine that she commiitted adultery on one occassion two weeks ago. Both sentences can describe this situation, and comments about whether 'she is still doing it' are obviously not applicable.

Neither sentence is "continuous"; it may have happened only once.
'She admitted that she is committing adultery with her old flame.' is continuous.