[Grammar] verbs + Infinitve or + -ing

[tyrp]

Hello everyone,

I'm asking for your help again ).

Can I use either the infinitive or the gerund with these verbs?

begin
detest
neglect
continue
start
omit
like

Will there be any difference in meaning if I use this or that non-finite form of the verb?

Thanks in advance!

 

[bhaisahab]

Hello everyone,

I'm asking for your help again ).

Can I use either the infinitive or the gerund with these verbs?

begin
detest
neglect
continue
start
omit
like

Will there be any difference in meaning if I use this or that non-finite form of the verb?

Thanks in advance!

The "ing" form is possible with all those verbs.

 

[tyrp]

I reread my question again and found that it was worded rather badly. By '

Can I use either the infinitive or the gerund with these verbs?' I meant: Can ​

the -ing form and the infinitive both follow the verbs mentioned?

E.g. She began to cry.
She began crying.

So unfortunately the question is still open.

I'm sorry for misleading you ((.

 

[bhaisahab]

I reread my question again and found that it was worded rather badly. By '

Can I use either the infinitive or the gerund with these verbs?' I meant: Can ​

the -ing form and the infinitive both follow the verbs mentioned?

E.g. She began to cry.
She began crying.

So unfortunately the question is still open.

I'm sorry for misleading you ((.

Yes.

 

[tyrp]

All of them? Together with neglect, detest, omit?

What about the difference in meaning?

 

[bhaisahab]

All of them? Together with neglect, detest, omit?

What about the difference in meaning?

I am not going to give you the various possible meanings of seven different verbs in infinitive and "ing" forms. That would require an essay at least.

 

[tyrp]

Thanks! I only wanted to know whether the difference is so very great (like in I stopped to buy a cigarette and I stopped buying cigarettes).

 

[mikelynn]

Thanks! I only wanted to know whether the difference is so very great (like in I stopped to buy a cigarette and I stopped buying cigarettes).

I'd say that start and begin are pretty safe although after progressives the infinitive sounds better and there are subtle differences in meaning. Continue, however, seems to be a bit different - continue doing something sounds like a non-stop activity while continue to do something seems to imply a different activity after an interruption. How about try? Try to do something - describes an attempt to do something, while try doing something is more like a performed experiment with unsure results. Not being a native speaker, I'm not sure, but that's the way I feel the difference in the above examples.
M&L

 

[emsr2d2]

Thanks! I only wanted to know whether the difference is so very great (like in I stopped to buy a cigarette and I stopped buying cigarettes).

Did you give that as an example because you already know that the difference in meaning between those two sentences is very great indeed?

 

[mxreader]

Hello everyone,

I'm asking for your help again ).

Can I use either the infinitive or the gerund with these verbs?

begin
detest (this one admit only the -ing form)
neglect
continue
start
omit
like

Will there be any difference in meaning if I use this or that non-finite form of the verb?

Thanks in advance!

mxr

 

[tyrp]

Did you give that as an example because you already know that the difference in meaning between those two sentences is very great indeed?

Yes, that's why I was a bit confused about the verbs above.

 

[tyrp]

I'd say that start and begin are pretty safe although after progressives the infinitive sounds better and there are subtle differences in meaning. Continue, however, seems to be a bit different - continue doing something sounds like a non-stop activity while continue to do something seems to imply a different activity after an interruption. How about try? Try to do something - describes an attempt to do something, while try doing something is more like a performed experiment with unsure results. Not being a native speaker, I'm not sure, but that's the way I feel the difference in the above examples.
M&L

Thank you for your help! I deeply appreciate it. I also felt there was something like that with these verbs, but I'm still a bit at a loss with omit and neglect.

With 'continue' you must be absolutely right. It stands to reason, as 'continue' is actually a synonym for 'go on', and the situation with the latter is clear to me.
(like in the sentences: 'He went on getting on my nerves.' and 'He went on to become a college student.')

mxr

Thanks a lot! I'll cross out 'detest' from my list of problematic cases) Thanks!

 

[mikelynn]

I guess that the problem with detest is that it takes a noun as the object; therefore -ing form or gerund if you will. If I'm wrong, all comments are welcome, it's always good to learn new things. ;-) M&L