056 : Verb + -ing or to … 1 (remember, regret etc.)

   A   

Some verbs are followed by -ing and some are followed by to ... .

 

 

Verbs usually followed by -ing:

admit      avoid      consider      deny      enjoy      fancy      finish      imagine       keep (on)      mind      postpone      risk      stop      suggest

For exam ples, see Unit 53.

 

 

Verbs usually followed by to ... :

afford      agree      arrange      decide      deserve      fail      forget      hope       learn     manage      offer      plan      promise      refuse      threaten

For examples, see Unit 54.

 

 

   B   

Some verbs can be followed by -ing or to ... with a difference of meaning:

 

 

remember

 

I remember doing something = I did it and now I remember this.
You remember doing something after you have done it.

• I know I locked the door. I clearly remember locking it. (= I locked it, and now I remember this)
• He could remember driving along the road just before the accident, but he couldn't remember the accident itself.

I remembered to do something = I remembered that I had to do it , so I did it.
You remember to do something before you do it.

• I remembered to lock the door, but I forgot to shut the windows. (= I remembered that I had to lock it, and so I locked it)
• I must remember to pay the electricity bill. (= I must not forget to pay it)

 

 

regret

 

I regret doing something = I did it and now I'm sorry about it:

• I now regret saying what I said. I shouldn't have said it.
• Do you regret not going to college?

I regret to say / to tell you / to inform you = I'm sorry that I have to say (etc.):

• (from a formal letter)  We regret to inform you that your application has been unsuccessful.

 

 

go on

 

Go on doing something = continue with the same thing:

• The president paused for a moment and then went on talking.
• We need to change. We can't go on living like this.

Go on to do something = do or say something new:

• After discussing the economy, the president then went on to talk about foreign policy.

 

 

   C   

The following verbs can be followed by -ing or to ... with no difference of meaning:

 

begin      start      continue      intend      bother

 

So you can say:

• It started raining.   or   It started to rain.
• Andy intends buying a house.   or   Andy intends to buy ...
• Don't bother locking the door.   or   Don't bother to lock ...

But normally we do not use -ing after -ing:

• It's starting to rain. (not It's starting raining)

 

 

 

 

※ regret & sorry :

 

regret : 유감이다.

 

1. to feel sorry about something you have done.

regret something // If you don't do it now, you'll only regret it.

regret doing something // He bitterly regretted ever having mentioned it.

regret that // I regret that I never got to meet him in person(직접).

regret what, how, etc… // I deeply regret what I said.

 

2. used to say in a polite or formal way that you are sorry or sad about a situation.

regret something // The airline regrets any inconvenience.

regret to do something // We regret to inform you that your application has not been successful.

regret that // I regret that I am unable to accept your kind invitation.

 

 

sorry : 유감이다.

 

1. 과거의 어떤 행동에 대해 유감이다. (미안하다)

sorry about something // We're very sorry about the damage to your car.

sorry for something // She is obviously deeply sorry for what she has done.

sorry for doing something // He says he's really sorry for taking the car without asking.

sorry (that)… // She was sorry that she'd lost her temper.

 

2. 현재의 어떤 상황에 대해 유감이다.

sorry about something // I'm sorry about your mother. I do hope she'll soon be feeling better.

sorry for something // I'm very sorry for your loss (= expressing sympathy when somebody has died).

sorry to do something // We're sorry to hear that your father's in hospital again.

sorry (that)… // I'm sorry that your husband lost his job.

 

 

 

※ bother :

 

 

bother : 애쓰다, 애쓰게 하다

 

 

1. to spend time and/or energy doing something.

(주로 부정적인 뉘앙스, 쓸데없이 '참~ 애쓴다'.)

 

bother with/about something 

// It's not worth bothering with (= using) an umbrella—the car's just outside.

// I don't know why you bother with that crowd (= why you spend time with them).

bother to do something // Doctors never bothered to check his blood pressure.

bother doing something // I didn't bother trying to explain my feelings.

 

 

2. to annoy, worry or upset somebody; to cause somebody trouble or pain.

(애쓰게 하다. 속 썩이다.)

 

bother somebody 

// It bothers [=worries] them that there's no hospital nearby.

// Stop bothering me when I'm working.

bother somebody with something 

// I don't want to bother her with my problems at the moment.

bother somebody that… // Does it bother you that she earns more than you?

it bothers somebody to do something // It bothers me to think of her alone in that big house.