Page 304 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

2
3
4
-ing forms (4): after verbs 296 Some common verbs that are normally fonowed by -ing forms:
admit appreciate avoid burst out
(crying/laughing) consider contemplate
delay
deny detest
Some verbs can be followed by both -ingforms and infinitives - see paragraph 4 below.
Unfortunately there is no easy way to decide which structures are possible after a particular verb. It is best to check in a good dictionary.
verb + object + -ing form
Some of the verbs listed above, and some others, can be fonowed by object + -ingform.
I dislike people teUing me what to think.
I can't imagine him working in an office. Nobody can stop him doing what he wants to He spends all his time gardening.
Did you see her talking to the postman?
Stop (in an informal style) and prevent are often followed by object + from + -ingform.
Try to stop/prevent them (from) finding out.
Note that after many verbs we can use possessive + -ing form rather than object + -ing form, especially in a formal style. (See 295.3 for details.)
-ing form with passive meaning
After deserve, need and require, the -ing form has a passive sense. This structure is more common in British than American English.
I don't think his article deserves reading. (= .•. deserves to be read.) Your hair needs cutting. (= ... needs [0 be CU[.)
In informal British English, want can also be used like this. The car wants servicing. (= •.. needs to be serviced.)
-ing form or infinitive
After some verbs, either an -ing form or an infinitive can be used. These
include:
advise allow can't bear begin continue
forbid forget go
go on
hate
hear prefer start intend propose stop like regret t r y love remember watch permit see
dislilce
endure
enjoy
escape
excuse
face
fancy
feellilce
finish miss forgive postpone
In some cases there is a difference of meaning: see 299. For infinitives after verbs, see 282.
give up
(can't) help
imagine
involve
keep (on)
leave o f f
mention suggest mind understand
practise
put off resent
resist
risk
(can't) stand
page 272