Verbs -ing/list

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Verbs -ing/list
Message from again57 posted on 12-04-2014 at 17:58:48 (D | E | F)
Hello everybody,

So, presently I'm trying to get my English better. Therefore, I scrutinize all documents I read to learn something about grammar rules. That's the reason why I ask a question here. Actually, I think in the next days I'll question a lot. For this first post, out of a series, my question is could you please help me to find verbs after which ones comes the gerund. I know these ones:
Avoid
Enjoy
Consider
Be Worth
Finish
Prevent
Imagine
In other cases these ones:
Feel
Hear
Listen to
See
Watch
One form or nother whatever (except wheter themselves in ING form):
Begin
Start
Continue
Finally (one form or another except when they are in the conditional form):
Love
Like
Hate
So, those are the verbs I know the rule about, but I think there are other verbs after which the ING form is required. For instance, I have this sentence: Buying a car usually involves getting a loan from a bank. As you can see "involve" is not in my list, however in this example get is in the ING form.
So, please could you explain about this sentence first, and give me some other words which should be in my list.
Thank you very much for reading me till here and help me to improve myself.
P.s: Feel free to tell me if you think I have somme mistakes or other non proper sentences in my text.

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Edited by lucile83 on 12-04-2014 19:29

Re: Verbs -ing/list from gerondif, posted on 12-04-2014 at 18:22:13 (D | E)
Hello,
You should first bear in mind that a gerund is a verb turned into a noun which therefore can become 1) the subject or 2) the object of another verb, 3) or be used after a preposition which, as you know, is used before a noun or pronoun or gerund:

1) Sports is good for you = jogging/swimming/cycling/ is good for you
Your turning into a monster doesn't surprise me.

2) I like sports = I like running.
I like food = I like cooking.
I dislike/don't like/can't stand/can't bear/hate waiting.

3) I am fond of/keen on/interested in/crazy about swimming.

Buying a car usually involves/entails/means/ getting a loan from a bank. The object of your verb is an action, so a gerund is used.

Start working, go on working, keep working, keep on working stop working.

"Begin to work" is I think more common than "Begin working".

Watch out with the verb "to stop"!!
He stopped working to smoke a cigarette.
He stopped smoking to feel better.

You can of course learn a list by heart, but logic is also a good guide.

Some verbs in your list are tricky:
I heard him singing (present participle)
I heard his singing (gerund) and I found it exhilarating (adjective)

Re: Verbs -ing/list from again57, posted on 12-04-2014 at 19:29:55 (D | E)
Thanks a lot gerondif for your answer,

I don't have any problems with the most of points you explained. But, two of them make me think about. These two points are:
- Your turning into a monster doesn't surprise me
I understand the sentence, but spontaneously I'd say it like that: The fact you're turning into a monster...
Please could you explain more

- The other point is about the sentence with getting a loan. So if I understood what you said well, this example is right: Stealing money corresponds violating law.
Because Steal is an action verb?
Thank you very much for your kind explanations.

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Edited by again57 on 12-04-2014 19:30

Re: Verbs -ing/list from gerondif, posted on 12-04-2014 at 22:34:33 (D | E)
Hello,
So, you don't have any problems with most of the points I explained.
- Your turning into a monster doesn't surprise me = The fact you turned into a monster... Yes, it would be easier that way, some gerunds are not so common.

Stealing money corresponds to /means/ is the same as/ violating the law.
corresponds to is clumsy here.

Re: Verbs -ing/list from again57, posted on 13-04-2014 at 09:43:09 (D | E)
Hello Gerondif,

Thank you for your answer and correction. Just to assure myself I understood well. Even if, the verb correspond is clumsy, the construction of the sentence is right? I mean, I can write it exactly in the same way by commuting correspond and mean.

So is that correct: Stealing money means violating law

If that's true, is my explanation right? I mean violating is in the ING form, because stealing is an action verb? I ask that, because if I understand the principle, I'll be able to make it an habit.

Thanks a lot in advance for answering me.

Re: Verbs -ing/list from gerondif, posted on 13-04-2014 at 12:33:46 (D | E)
Hello,
I don't understand your theory about action verbs
Look:
Being honest means being fair; To be is a state verb , yet it is in the gerund.

Yes, state verbs normally can't be put into(Yes, in was wrong!) the ing form of the present participle:
"I am at school" can't become "I am being at school".
"I have a watch" can't become "I'm having a watch" except if you're eating it to enter the Guiness Book of Records, in which case 1) you are weird, 2) To have becomes an action verb meaning to eat.

A gerund will be the subject of a verb, wether it is a state verb or an action verb.
Being is the sun is such a relief!
Having friends is essential in life (says a normal human being. But when Hannibal Lecter says that, he is eating them!!)
Loving somebody makes life easier. (Still, you wouldn't say: I'm loving chocolate, I'm liking chocolate)

Don't mix gerunds with present participles.

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Edited by gerondif on 13-04-2014 16:00

Re: Verbs -ing/list from again57, posted on 13-04-2014 at 13:57:27 (D | E)
Hello Gerondif, thanks a lot to take your time for helping me.

Actually, what I don't understand well, is why this sentence: Being honest means being fair is written like that and not: Being honest means to be fair. Indeed, now I know it, I'll write it correctly, but I don't understand which reasoning I need to have to be able not to make the same mistake everytime. Moreover, is it wrong to put "mean" into the infinitive word rather into the ing form or just less nice?

So, about this sentence: Loving somebody makes life easier (I think quite the opposite, being loved makes life easier... ) Indeed, I would have written it in the same way, but an English teacher told me that at the beginning of a sentence both were possible (ing or infinitive), is that true?

Finally, Just about something you wrote in your answer, please could you explain that: "State verbs can't be put in the ing form". In fact, I would have writtent it with into rather than in. Would it be wrong?

Thank you very much for you answer, it's true I seem to have some difficulties to understand, but I do need to understand it.

Re: Verbs -ing/list from gerondif, posted on 13-04-2014 at 16:05:38 (D | E)
Hello,
Hello Gerondif, thanks a lot to take your time for helping me.
Thanks for taking some time to help me.
You propose: Being honest means to be fair. Why start in the gerund and finish in the infinitive? I would feel off balance.

An English teacher told me that at the beginning of a sentence both were possible (ing or infinitive), is that true? Yes it is

Finally, Just about something you wrote in your answer, please could you explain that: "State verbs can't be put in(was wrong) the ing form". In fact, I would have written it with into rather than in. You were right

Re: Verbs -ing/list from lemagemasque, posted on 13-04-2014 at 17:02:05 (D | E)
Hello!

I don't know but "put into" sounds a little bit awkward.
"Put in" sounds better to my ears...

Link

See you!

Re: Verbs -ing/list from gerondif, posted on 13-04-2014 at 17:31:18 (D | E)
Hello,
Well,let me put it into words! We say:
Translate into French,
Put (turn) these verbs into the preterite.
The verbs can be used in the ing form, they can be put into the ing form if you respect put as a verb of movement.

Re: Verbs -ing/list from again57, posted on 13-04-2014 at 18:57:50 (D | E)
Hello,

That's ok I think I start understanding, even if I'll probably make some mistakes yet in the future.
Just a last question, I saw a short course about the ing form on YouTube and the guy said after all prepositions the ing form was required. So does it mean that when you use a verb with preposition you MUST put the following verb into the ing form?

I'll give up reading it's too hard (that is right?)
I'll give up to read it's too hard (that is wrong?)

I'll go on doing that because I love it (that is right?)
I'll go on to do that because I love it (that is wrong?)

Thank you both and a great thanks Gerund for your very useful help.

Re: Verbs -ing/list from gerondif, posted on 13-04-2014 at 19:21:27 (D | E)
Hello,
That's ok I think I start understanding, even if I'll probably make some mistakes yet in the future.
That's ok I think I begin to understand, even if I probably still make some mistakes in the future.

Again, a gerund is a verb TRANSFORMED INTO A NOUN, for example swimming (la natation in French)
A perposition is placed, as the name indicates, before a NOUN.
So, yes, after a preposition, you should use a gerund or a noun:
I am very keen on sports / on diving.
I am interested in books /in reading (la lecture)
I look forward to your news /I look forward to earing from you (to is a preposition here)

BUT!
in the two examples you give, up and on are adverbial particles used in phrasal verbs, not prepositions.

Compare: Put the gun on the floor! (preposition)
Put on your coat = Put your coat on = Put it on (adverb)

Start running, go on running, keep (on)running, don't stop running, ok.

I'll give up gymnastics ok, the object is a noun.
I'll give up swimming ok, the object is a verb transformed into a noun, but up has nothing to do with it.

If a verb accepts a noun as object, it will normally accept a gerund.

Here is a lesson I was taught in 1971 by a Mr Cherchi, a linguistics professor at Dijon University:

I like Picasso's pictures. 100% noun
I like Picasso's paintings (gerund 100% noun, can take a possessive and the plural)
I like Picasso's painting (gerund 50% verb , you like the way he paints, his touch)

Re: Verbs -ing/list from again57, posted on 13-04-2014 at 21:34:58 (D | E)
Hello,

Thank you Gerondif for taking some time to answer me.
So, after having studied a lot , I think I begin to understand better. So, in the expression "To look forward to" I know that to is a preposition, because there is the verb "look", followed by the particule "forward" and "to" which is only in third position an preposition. For that ok.

For the rest, if I understood well, if we can put after the verb a noun, so we can put the verb into the ING form without asking oneself's any other questions?
For example, if I take back this sentence:
I can say I'll give the cat up (I won't do that!). As I have a noun even if it's introduced by "the" no problem I can write: I'll give up swimming.
Consequently, to see if I understood well, are these examples right?
- I'll go on to swim (indeed a noun is not possible... I'll go on my car, my cat...)
- I'll put up with doing it as long as necessary (up is an adverbial particule and with the preposition, so I write doing an I'll put up with my cat / neighboors... is possible)
- I'll cut down on spending (on here is also a preposition third place and I could cut down on my cat... of course I can't see how without hurting him, but why not... )
- I'll put down to wash my car (Here I have a problem, because I'll put down my cat is quiet possible!unfortunately. However, normally, if I can put a noun after the verb, that last should be written in the ing form. But it doesn't work here)

Isn't it possible simply to consider that if the sense of the verb is modified in this case it's an averbial particule and the verb after is not in the ing form. Otherwise, whether the sens of the verb doesn't change, so, in this case it's only a preposition to use with the verb and we must put the verb after into the ing form?

I do hope, this time I understood, because I didn't have much hair on my head anymore to pull up.
So, please again Gerondif could you explain (I need some time to understand... ) What put this gun on the floor and not put this gun onto the floor ?

Thank you very, very, very, very much for your help even if I'm a little hard to teach!

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Edited by lucile83 on 13-04-2014 22:00

Re: Verbs -ing/list from gerondif, posted on 13-04-2014 at 22:37:42 (D | E)
Hello,
at this time of the night, I don't understand a word of these theories of yours! Stop inventing rules!

"to" can be a preposition in first place : I am accustomed to smoking.

I'll give up the booze. ok!

- I'll go on to swim wrong!!
I'll go on swimming. I'll go on with my work.
- I'll put up with doing it as long as necessary (up is an adverbial particule and with the preposition, so I write doing an I'll put up with my cat / neighboors... is possible)
- I'll cut down on spending (on here is also a preposition third place (the position doesn't matter! ) and I could cut down on my cat (doesn't make sense)
- I'll put down to wash my car wrong.

Isn't it possible simply to consider that if the sense of the verb is modified in this case it's an averbial particule and the verb after is not in the ing form. wrong!
What do we care if the verb is phrasal or normal? As long as it can take a direct or indirect object, you will use a noun or a gerund.

Start your work/start working.
Stop working / Give up working.
Keep running / Go on running.

onto would be correct too, more precise.

Re: Verbs -ing/list from again57, posted on 14-04-2014 at 08:55:20 (D | E)
Hello Gerondif,

Thank you for your answers.

You know, actually I don't invent rules , it's just what I found out on the Internet (videos and other classes). You know, in fact, my brain reached its saturation point and I think I need to take my mind off things during a moment to let my brain have a rest. I do hope a moment a short light will shine in my head and at this moment I'll come towards you to ask if I understood well or if my light is not right.

Again thanks a lot Gerondif for all of your answers here and on my other topic.

Re: Verbs -ing/list from willy, posted on 14-04-2014 at 09:41:36 (D | E)
Hello!

"..during a moment":

You might find these explanations useful:
Link

Re: Verbs -ing/list from again57, posted on 14-04-2014 at 11:23:35 (D | E)
Hello Willy,

Thanks for the link I'll have a look at this.

Re: Verbs -ing/list from lucile83, posted on 15-04-2014 at 10:27:41 (D | E)
Hello,

Here are two helpful links:
Link

Link

You have to memorise them, that's all.

Re: Verbs -ing/list from again57, posted on 15-04-2014 at 13:02:18 (D | E)
Hello,

Thank you for the links. I'm going to try to learn the words.

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