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V- ing or infinitive - English lesson

- ING or INFINITIVE?

I've chosen to work again on this point which is always a problem for learners. More particularly, we are going to study a few verbs which are engaged in a 'double dealing' : they are sometimes followed by a verb built with an - ing form, or sometimes by one in the full infinitive. 

1)  TO REMEMBER  ....  and  TO FORGET :

 A)  To remember + - ing = to keep in mind what was done ; to forget + - ing = to lose memory of what was done ; 

ex : I  remember meeting him at a concert, and I'll never forget hearing him play the violin.

 B)  To remember + infinitive = to keep in mind what is going to happen ; to forget + infinitive.= to lose memory of what you should do in the future. The two forms can be combined :

ex : I remembered to buy the bread when the baker's was already closed, and I forgot to go to the baker's which was still open !

2)  TO STOP :

 A)  To stop + - ing ; the end of the action is described.

 ex : I stopped smoking when I understood that it was dangerous. 

 B) To stop + infinitive ; The sentence containing the infinitive expresses an 'aim', a purpose ; it means  (= in order to ask ) ; therefore,  an action is going to start.

 ex :  As he was lost, he stopped to ask his way ...

 C)  The two constructions can be combined :

 ex : He stopped working at his report to answer a phone call ...

 3)  TO MEET :  to encounter ;

 ex 1 : Nice to meet you ! = at the beginning of the conversation

 ex 2 : Nice meeting you ! = at the end of the conversation 

 4)  TO TELL : to communicate, .

 A)  To tell + - ing = is turned towards the past.

 ex : I hate telling lies, I will tell the truth.

 B) To tell + infinitive : turned towards the future. Announces what is going to be said.

ex : He'll tell you to go away, but you may stay if you want !

Well well ! Now, you're ready for the test !

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What to do during an exam !

When I left home this morning, ready for my test, I remembered listeningI remember to listenI remember to listeningI remember listenI don't know to all the things that Mom, my best fan, had told to doingtold to me to dotold me to dotold me doingI don't know : - 'Remember leavingRemember to leavingRemember to leaveRemember leaveI don't know a wide blank on the right hand side of your paper for your examiner to have enough space to correct what you wrote... Don't forget writeDon't forget to writingDon't forget writingDon't forget to writeI don't know your name in the upper square on the right ; I remember to forgettingI remember forgetI remember forgettingI remember to forgetI don't know to do so on one of my papers once... Do you remember reviseDo you remember to revisingDo you remember to reviseDo you remember revisingI don't know the chapter you had skipped ?... Please ! Don't grumble ! Have you already forgotten to askingforgotten askingforgot askforgotten to askI don't know me to remind you that you should work more ?... I'm your 'reminder' ! I'm your good conscience !
Before writing on the exam paper, start thinkingstart to thingstart to thinkingstart to thinkI don't know a lot about the question you have to answer, make sure you understand it, and know what you want to develop... Remember writingRemember to writingRemember writeRemember to writeI don't know a first draft on the coloured papers they'll give you. You shouldn't forget to organisingforget organisingforget to organiseforget organiseI don't know your ideas, both logically, and chronologically. Stop to writeStop writingStop to writingStop writeI don't know from time to time to think about the logic of what you have already written. Don't forget to scribbleforget scribbleforget scribblingforget to scribblingI don't know whatever goes through your mind at that moment... Then, and only then, start writestart to writingstart writingI don't know cautiously on your exam paper, being very focused and following the pattern you have built. When your essay looks correct to you, remember readremember readingremember to readremember to readingI don't know it over calmly...
You MUST absolutely stop to writingstop writestop writingstop to writeI don't know at least 20 minutes before the end of your exam... and read your text over and over again... doing what I call 'targetted proofreading'... Don't forget readDon't forget to readingDon't forget to readDon't forget readI don't know the whole text, then read with different 'targets', once for the tenses, once for your 'favourite' mistakes (we all have !) etc. Then, one last time for the fluency of your essay...
Good luck ! I'm sure you'll pass !' ;0)