In English, the first verb in a sentence decides the shape of the second one. You say 'I want to leave' but 'I enjoy working' — same idea of a second action, two different shapes. There is no deep logic to memorize your way around: each verb simply has its own pattern, like each door has its own key. If you use the wrong key, the sentence jams: 'I enjoy to work here' sounds broken to every fluent listener.

You meet this pattern many times a day. Making plans ('I decided to stay'), talking about hobbies ('I love swimming'), being polite at work ('Would you mind waiting?'), and giving advice ('I suggest taking the train') all depend on choosing to-infinitive or -ing correctly. Master the twenty most common verbs and most of your daily sentences will come out right automatically.

Here is the basic picture. Some verbs are followed by 'to' plus the base verb — the to-infinitive: 'want to go', 'decide to buy', 'hope to see', 'plan to travel', 'need to rest', 'learn to drive', 'promise to help', 'agree to wait'. Many of these verbs point forward to something that has not happened yet, which can help you remember them: you decide first, and the action comes later.

Other verbs are followed by the -ing form: 'enjoy working', 'finish eating', 'keep trying', 'avoid driving', 'suggest walking', 'practice speaking', 'mind waiting', 'consider moving'. Several of these describe an activity as a real, ongoing experience — you enjoy something while it is happening. These memory pictures are only helpers, though; the safe method is to learn the verb together with its pattern, like one long word: 'enjoy-doing', 'want-to-do'.

A third group takes an object before the second verb: 'She asked me to wait', 'I want you to listen', 'They invited us to join.' The pattern is verb + person + to-infinitive. Do not skip the person when the verb needs one: 'She told to come' is wrong; say 'She told me to come.' And after 'let' and 'make', drop the 'to': 'Let me help', 'She made him apologize.'

Some verbs accept both forms with almost no change of meaning: 'It started to rain' and 'It started raining' are both fine, and so are 'like', 'love', and 'continue' in everyday speech. But a few verbs change meaning with the form. 'Stop smoking' means you quit the habit; 'stop to smoke' means you pause another activity in order to smoke. 'Remember to lock the door' points to a future duty; 'remember locking the door' points to a past memory. When the meaning changes, the -ing form usually looks back and the to-infinitive usually looks forward.

How should you study this? Keep two short lists in your notebook — a 'to' list and an '-ing' list — and add each new verb with a full example: 'avoid — I avoid eating late.' When you speak and feel unsure, choose a verb whose pattern you know well instead of guessing: if you are not sure about 'suggest', say 'Let's take the train' instead. Over time, correct patterns start to sound right and wrong ones start to sound strange — that feeling is the goal.

1. 1. I hope to visit Japan next spring.

   'Hope' takes the to-infinitive — it points to a future plan.

2. 2. She enjoys reading before bed.

   'Enjoy' always takes -ing, never 'to read'.

3. 3. We decided to sell the old car.

   'Decide' belongs to the to-infinitive group.

4. 4. Have you finished packing for the trip?

   'Finish' takes -ing: you finish doing something.

5. 5. He promised to call me after the meeting.

   'Promise' looks forward, so it takes 'to call'.

6. 6. Please avoid parking in front of the gate.

   'Avoid' takes -ing, even in polite requests.

7. 7. My doctor suggested drinking more water.

   'Suggest' takes -ing directly — never 'suggested to drink'.

8. 8. I'm learning to cook Thai food this year.

   'Learn' takes the to-infinitive for a new skill.

9. 9. Would you mind opening the window a little?

   'Mind' takes -ing; this is a very common polite question.

10. 10. She asked me to send the report today.

    Verb + person + to-infinitive: 'asked me to send'.

11. 11. It started raining just as we left home.

    'Start' accepts both forms; 'started to rain' is also correct.

12. 12. He stopped smoking two years ago.

    'Stop' + -ing means the habit ended completely.

13. 13. Remember to lock the door when you leave.

    'Remember to do' points to a duty that is still ahead.

14. 14. I keep forgetting her phone number.

    'Keep' takes -ing to show a repeated action.

15. 15. My parents let me choose the restaurant.

    After 'let', use the base verb with no 'to'.

16. 16. They can't afford to buy a house right now.

    'Afford' takes the to-infinitive, usually with 'can' or 'can't'.

The most common mistake is putting the to-infinitive after an -ing verb: 'I enjoy to work here', 'She suggested to leave early', 'Did you finish to eat?' These verbs simply refuse 'to'. Wrong: 'I don't mind to wait.' Right: 'I don't mind waiting.' There is no rule of logic to argue with — 'enjoy', 'finish', 'suggest', 'avoid', 'mind', and 'keep' take -ing, and each one must be learned with its pattern.

The opposite mistake also happens: using -ing after a 'to' verb, as in 'I want going home' or 'She decided moving abroad.' Verbs like 'want', 'decide', 'hope', 'plan', and 'promise' need the to-infinitive: 'I want to go home', 'She decided to move abroad.' A related slip is dropping the person from verbs that need one: 'She told to wait' should be 'She told me to wait.'

Finally, learners sometimes treat both-form verbs and meaning-change verbs the same way. With 'start', 'like', and 'continue', relax — both forms are usually fine. But with 'stop', 'remember', 'forget', and 'try', the form changes the meaning. 'I stopped to drink coffee' means you paused for a coffee break; 'I stopped drinking coffee' means you gave it up. Check which meaning you want before you choose the form.

• Learn each verb with its pattern, like one word: 'enjoy-doing', 'want-to-do'.
• 'Enjoy', 'finish', 'avoid', 'suggest', 'mind', 'keep' take -ing.
• 'Want', 'decide', 'hope', 'plan', 'promise', 'learn' take to-infinitive.
• After 'let' and 'make', drop the 'to': 'Let me help you.'
• 'Stop doing' means quit; 'stop to do' means pause for a new action.
• Keep two lists in your notebook — a 'to' list and an '-ing' list — with full examples.