Verb + -ing (enjoy doing / stop doing etc.)

Look at these examples:

• I enjoy reading. (not I enjoy to read)
• Would you mind closing the door? (not mind to close)
• Chris suggested going to the cinema. (not suggested to go)

After enjoy, mind and suggest, we use -ing (not to…)

Some more verbs that are followed by -ing:

stop; fisnish; postpone; admit; avoid; consider; deny; risk; imagine; fancy

• Suddenly everybody stopped talking. There was silence.

• I’ll do the shopping when I’ve finished cleaning the flat.

• He tried to avoid answering my question.

• I don’t fancy going out this evening . (= I’m not enthusiastic about it)

• Have you ever considered going to live in another country?

• They said they were innocent. They denied doing anything wrong.

The negative form is not -ing:

• When I’m on holiday, I enjoy not having to get up early.

We also use -ing after:

give up (= stop)

put off (= postpone)

go on or carry on (= continue)

keep or keep on (= do something continuously or repeatedly)

• I’ve given up reading newspapers. I think it’s a waste of time.
• Catherine doesn’t want to retire. She wants to go on working. (or …. to carry on working.)
• You keep interrupting when I’m talking! or You keep on interrupting….

With some verbs you can use the structure verb + somebody + -ing:

• I can’t imagine George riding a motorbike.
• You can’t stop me doing what I want.
• Did you really say that? I don’t remember you saying that.
• ‘Sorry to keep you waiting so long.’ ‘That’s all right.’

Note the passive form (being done/seen/kept etc.):

• I don’t mind being kept waiting. (= I don’t mind people keeping me…)

When you are talking about finished actions, you can say having done/stolen/said etc. :

• They admitted having stolen the money.

But it is not necessary to use having (done). You can also say:

• They admitted stealing the money.
• I now regret saying (or having said) what I said.

After some of the verbs on this page (especially admit/deny/suggest) you can also use that…. :

• They denied that they had stolen the money. (or They denied stealing….)
• Chris suggested that we went to the cinema. (or Sam suggested going ….)