subject + verb + verb-ingAfter verbs like enjoy, avoid, and finish, the next action takes -ing. Do not use to before the second verb.
Verb + Gerund
A2After some verbs, the next verb takes -ing: enjoy swimming, avoid making, finish working. Do not use to + verb after these verbs.
What you'll learn
- Use -ing after enjoy, avoid, and finish.
- Build the -ing form with the right spelling.
- Recognize verbs that are followed by -ing.
- Talk about activities with verb + -ing patterns.
Structure
Build a sentence
First verb
Action
enjoyswimming
They enjoy swimming on weekends.
After enjoy, use -ing. swim → swimming with double m.
When to use
Hobbies and free time
Talk about activities people like or do not like: Anna enjoys painting, Tom avoids driving in the city.
Tasks and routines
Talk about actions around work, study, and home: Lisa finished writing the report, Maria avoids checking email at night.
Markers
enjoyavoidfinishmindkeep
Spelling
most verbs
→ + ingwork → workingfinal silent -e
→ drop e, + ingmake → makingshort vowel + final consonant
→ double consonant, + ingswim → swimmingCommon mistakes
Wrong
Maria enjoys to swim in the morning.
Correct
Maria enjoys swimming in the morning.
After enjoy, the next verb takes -ing, not to + verb.
Wrong
Tom avoids make mistakes at work.
Correct
Tom avoids making mistakes at work.
After avoid, change the second verb to -ing.
Wrong
Lisa finished work late.
Correct
Lisa finished working late.
After finish, the next verb needs the -ing form.
Wrong
He enjoys swiming in the lake.
Correct
He enjoys swimming in the lake.
Swim doubles the final consonant before -ing: swimming.
Common misconceptions
❝ After one verb, the next verb should always start with to. ❞
Not always. After enjoy, avoid, finish, and some other verbs, the next verb takes -ing instead of to + verb.
❝ The -ing form only talks about something happening right now. ❞
The -ing form also appears after some verbs as part of a fixed pattern: enjoy reading, avoid driving, finish cleaning.
Skills in this rule (4)
USE_ING_AFTER_GERUND_VERBSw5Use the -ing form after common verbs like enjoy, avoid, and finish
After some verbs, the next verb takes -ing, not to + verb. Learn these verbs as fixed patterns: enjoy doing, avoid doing, finish doing.
BUILD_ING_FORMw4Build the -ing form correctly after these verbs
Add -ing to the next verb: work → working, make → making, swim → swimming. Watch spelling changes like double consonants and dropping final -e.
RECOGNIZE_COMMON_GERUND_VERBSw3Recognize common verbs that are followed by -ing
Words like enjoy, avoid, and finish often signal that the next verb takes -ing. Use the pattern as a chunk, not word by word.
USE_PATTERN_FOR_ACTIVITIESw3Use verb + -ing to talk about activities
Use this pattern when the second action is an activity: enjoy reading, avoid driving at night, finish cleaning the kitchen.