I like to play/playing

[Rachel Adams]

Hello.

Which sentence sounds more natural? I chose the second sentence.

1. 'I like to play tennis and sometimes watch it.'

2. 'I like playing tennis and sometimes watching it.

 

[Charlie Bernstein]

Hello.

Which sentence sounds more natural? I chose the second sentence.

1. 'I like to play tennis and sometimes watch it.'

That's good.

2. 'I like playing tennis and sometimes watching it.'

That's not quite natural. I'd say one of these:

- I like playing tennis and sometimes watch it.
- I like playing tennis, and sometimes I watch it.
- I like playing tennis, and sometimes I like watching it.

The phrase "sometimes watching it" is awkward.

 

[emsr2d2]

To keep that word order, I'd add a couple of commas.

I like playing tennis and, sometimes, watching it.

 

[Yankee]

#1 for me, but I would say "I like to........and watch it sometimes".

 

[Rachel Adams]

To keep that word order, I'd add a couple of commas.

I like playing tennis and, sometimes, watching it.

Is there any difference in meaning between the infinitive and gerund in my sentences and generally in such kind of sentences?

 

[Yankee]

Is there any difference in meaning between the infinitive and gerund in my sentences and generally in such kind of sentences?

Yes, there is a difference with your examples.

[FONT=Verdana,Arial,Tahoma,Calibri,Geneva,sans-serif]1. 'I like to play tennis and sometimes watch it. You like to play it and occasionally you watch it.
2. 'I like playing tennis and sometimes watching it. You like to play it, but only like watching it occasionally.[/FONT]

 

[Tdol]

#1 for me, but I would say "I like to........and watch it sometimes".

Like doing is common in BrE.

 

[Rachel Adams]

Like doing is common in BrE.

But 'I like to do' has a different meaning, doesn't it? I am asking about BrE.

 

[Phaedrus]

1. 'I like to play tennis and sometimes watch it.'

2. 'I like playing tennis and sometimes watching it.

I like playing/to play tennis and sometimes like watching/to watch it.

 

[Tdol]

But 'I like to do' has a different meaning, doesn't it? I am asking about BrE.

We can use like to do when there are conditions that have to be met:

I like swimming.
I like to swim in the summer. (= I don't swim in the other seasons)