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Unit 54. Infinitive or -ing? (1) – like, would like, etc.
A.
like hate can’t bear love can’t stand
After these verbs and expressions you can use -ing or the infinitive.
I like getting up early, or I like to get up early.
I love meeting people, or I love to meet people.
I hate washing dishes, or I hate to wash dishes.
She can’t stand being alone, or She can’t stand to be alone.
He can’t bear living in the city, or He can’t bear to live in the city.
B.
After these verbs you can use -ing, but not the infinitive:
I enjoy being alone, {not enjoy to be)
Why do you dislike living here? (not dislike to live)
Tom doesn’t mind working at night, (not mind to work)
C.
Would like is followed by the infinitive:
I would like to be rich.
Would you like to come to a party?
Notice the difference in meaning between I like and I would like. I would like is a polite way of saying I want. Compare:
I like playing tennis, or I like to play tennis. (= enjoy it in general)
I would like to play tennis today. (= I want to play) See also Unit 30.
We also use the infinitive after would love/hate/prefer:
Would you prefer to have dinner now or later?
I’d love to be able to travel around the world.
D.
You can also say “I would like to have done something” (= I regret that I didn’t or couldn’t do something):
It’s too bad we didn’t visit Tom. I would like to have seen him again.
We’d like to have taken a vacation, but we didn’t have enough money. The same structure is possible after would love/hate/prefer:
Poor Jim! I would hate to have been in his position.
I’d love to have gone to the party, but it was impossible.
We went to a restaurant but I didn’t enjoy it. I’d prefer to have eaten at home.
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