I would like living/to live there if I could

[Adrianna95]

Hi teachers,

I have found one sentence that is bothering me.

Is is correct to say : 'I would like living there if I could ?'
According to Cambridge dictionary the above sentence is incorrect. 'We use would or ’d with hate, like, love, prefer, we use the to-infinitive, not the -ing form.' (English Grammar Today)
I am getting confused now. The sentence with gerund comes from my English grammar book.
I'd like to learn the correct English but every grammar book that I read has different rules.


Thanks in advance.

Hate, like, love and prefer

Hate, like, love and prefer - English Grammar Today - a reference to written and spoken English grammar and usage - Cambridge Dictionary

dictionary.cambridge.org

 

[5jj]

The sentence with gerund comes from my English grammar book.

Please tell us the name of the book and the person who wrote it.

 

[Adrianna95]

Radoslaw Wieckowski 'English infinitive and gerund'

 

[5jj]

I am afraid that Wieckowski is mistaken. "I would like living there if I could" is not natural.

 

[emsr2d2]

The problem is that, written that way, "if I could" refers back to "I would like living there". That means the speaker is talking about the possibility of liking it, not the possibility of living there. A change of construction would give the meaning she was aiming for: If I could live there, I would like it".

"I would like living there" is possible as part of a different sentence. "My aunt has asked me if I'd like to go and live with her at her cottage in the countryside. I really think I would like living there".

 

[Adrianna95]

Thank you very much but I still don't understand what is the difference between your sentence ' I really think I would like living there' and 'I think I would like to live there' I find it hard to understand that subtle difference that you as an English native speaker understand. I don't feel it event in that sentence with my aunt. I would be very grateful if you could give me another example.

 

[Tarheel]

Thank you very much, but I still don't understand the difference between your sentence '"I really think I would like living there' and 'I think I would like to live there".

I don't see much difference either. Are you sure those are the sentences in question?

 

[emsr2d2]

I would like to live there = I want to live there
I would like living there - If I lived there, I would enjoy the experience

I would like to + infinitive = I want
I would like + verb-ing = a hypothetical
I would like + article + noun = I want