UNIT 56. 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 says:
– 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 … friends to call me at work.

(1) We use -ing (not to …) when we talk about a situation that already exists (or existed).

For example:
– Paul lives in Vancouver now. He likes living there. (He likes living in Vancouver = 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 at 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 favorite 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 (= 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 vacation aline.
– 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 too bad we didn’t see Johnny when we were in Nashville. I would like to have seen him again.
– We’d like to have gone on vacation, but we didn’t have enough money.

You can use the same structure after would love / would hate / would prefer:
– Poor Tom! I would hate to have been in his position.
– I’d love to have gone to the party, but it was impossible.