058 : Verb + -ing or to … 3 (like / would like etc.)

   A   

Like / love / hate

 

When you talk about repeated actions, you can use -ing or to ... after these verbs.

So you can say:

• Do you like getting up early?                   or    Do you like to get up early?
• Stephanie hates flying.                            or    Stephanie hates to fly.
• I love meeting people.                             or    I love to meet people.
• I don't like being kept waiting.                or    ... like to be kept waiting.
• I don't like friends calling me at work.   or    ... like friends to call me at work.

 

 

but

(1) We use -ing when we talk about a situation that already exists (or existed).

     For example:

• Paul lives in Berlin now. He likes living there.

    (He likes living in Berlin = He lives there and he likes it)

• Do you like being a student?

    (You are a student - do you like it?)

• The office I worked in was horrible. I hated working there.

    (I worked there and I hated it)

 

 

(2) There is sometimes a difference between I like to do and I like doing:

 

I like doing something = I do it and I enjoy it:

• I like cleaning the kitchen. (= I enjoy it.)

 

I like to do something =I think it is a good thing to do, but I don't necessarily enjoy it

• It's not my favourite job, but I like to clean the kitchen as often as possible.

 

Note that enjoy and mind are always followed by -ing (not to ... ):

• I enjoy cleaning the kitchen. (not I enjoy to clean)
• I don't mind cleaning the kitchen. (not I don't mind to clean)

 

 

   B   

Would like / would love / would hate / would prefer

 

Would like / would love etc. are usually followed by to ... :

• I'd like (= I would like) to go away for a few days.
• Would you like to come to dinner on Friday?
• I wouldn't like to go on holiday alone.
• I'd love to meet your family.
• Would you prefer to have dinner now or later?

 

Compare I like and I would like (I'd like):

• I like playing tennis. / I like to play tennis. (= I like it in general)
• I'd like to play tennis today. (= I want to play today)

 

Would mind is always followed by -ing (not to ... ):

• Would you mind closing the door, please?

 

 

   C   

I would like to have done something = I regret now that I didn't or couldn't do it:

• It's a shame we didn't see Anna when we were in London. I would like to have seen her again.
• We'd like to have gone away, but we were too busy at home.

 

You can use the same structure after would love / would hate / would prefer:

• Poor David! I would hate to have been in his position.
• I'd love to have gone to the party, but it was impossible.