The following verbs can be used in either of the following verb patterns.
Verb + To + Infinitive / Verb + -Ing Form
- start
- begin
- continue
- like
- love
- hate
- prefer
With the above verbs, there is generally no difference in meaning in either verb pattern.
- I love to relax with a good book. / I love relaxing with a good book.
- We prefer to sleep in on Sundays. / We prefer sleeping in on Sundays.
- We started to study at 8:30 am. / We started studying at 8:30 am.
However, if the main verb is already continuous, it’s better to use the infinitive.
- We’re starting to watch the movie at about 9:00 pm. We’re starting watching the movie at about 9:00 pm.
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