Learn these common ones as a set. These everyday verbs are followed by to + the base verb: want, need, decide, plan, hope, promise, agree, offer, learn.
Some verbs take to + verb
I want to go home.
She decided to quit her job.
He promised to help me.
Not "She wants going home." — say "She wants to go home.". want is a to-verb: want to go, not "want going".
Try it: We ___ next summer. (plan to travel / plan traveling / plan travel) Answer: plan to travel — Plan is one of the to-verbs, so it takes to + the base verb: plan to travel. "Plan traveling" uses the -ing form (wrong group for plan), and "plan travel" drops the to.
Other verbs take the -ing form
These common verbs are followed by the -ing form instead: enjoy, finish, keep, mind, avoid, practice, miss, suggest. Learn this group as a set, the way you learned the to-verbs.
I enjoy reading books.
She finished doing her homework.
Do you mind waiting a moment?
Not "I enjoy to read books." — say "I enjoy reading books.". enjoy is an -ing verb: enjoy reading, not "enjoy to read".
Try it: They ___ the same mistakes. (keep making / keep to make / keep make) Answer: keep making — Keep is one of the -ing verbs, so it takes the -ing form: keep making. "Keep to make" uses to (wrong group for keep), and "keep make" uses the base verb.
After a small word like at, in, of: the -ing form
Here is one part you can rely on: after a small linking word like at, in, of, for, about, before, after, always use the -ing form.
She's good at cooking.
I'm interested in learning Italian.
Thanks for helping me.
Try it: He's tired ___ for the bus every day. (of waiting / of to wait / of wait) Answer: of waiting — After a small word like of, always use the -ing form: tired of waiting. "Of to wait" and "of wait" don't follow that, after of (and at, in, for ...) it's the -ing form.
A few verbs take either form
A small group of verbs can be followed by to + the base verb or the -ing form, and the meaning usually stays the same: start, begin, continue. One thing to watch: when the verb itself is already an -ing form, we avoid two in a row and use to instead — It was starting to rain, not "was starting raining".
It started to rain. = It started raining.
She began to talk. = She began talking.
They continued to work. = They continued working.
Not both -ing: It was starting to rain. (not "was starting raining")
Not "It started rain." — say "It started to rain. / It started raining.". With start, use to + the base verb or the -ing form, never the bare base verb.
Try it: A few verbs like start, begin, continue take either form with the same meaning. Which is right? (It started to rain. / It started rain. / It started the rain.) Answer: It started to rain. — With start (also begin, continue), both to + verb and the -ing form are fine and mean the same, so 'It started to rain.' (or 'It started raining.') works. (With like, love, hate the two forms can differ a little in meaning, taught next.) "Started rain" drops both the to and the -ing, and "started the rain" treats rain as a thing you can start, which doesn't fit here.
like, love, hate: a small meaning difference
After like, love, hate, both forms are correct, but they can say slightly different things. The -ing form points to the activity itself, the enjoyment (or dislike) in general. The to form points to a choice or habit, what you prefer to do.
I love cooking. = I enjoy the activity of cooking.
I love to cook on Sundays. = It's my chosen habit.
She hates waiting. = The experience of waiting feels bad to her.
Try it: Which sentence best shows that Ben enjoys the activity of dancing itself? (Ben likes dancing. / Ben likes to dance before a show. / Ben likes dance.) Answer: Ben likes dancing. — After like, both to + verb and the -ing form are correct. The -ing form (likes dancing) points to the activity and the enjoyment in general, so it best fits 'enjoys the activity itself'. 'Likes to dance before a show' uses the to form, which points to a choice or habit (when he chooses to do it). 'Likes dance' drops the -ing and doesn't work here.