Verbs

-ing form

Use the -ing form after these verbs to express likes and dislikes: like, love, prefer, enjoy and hate.

• I like swimming.
• I love singing.
• I prefer going to the movies to watching videos.

The -ing form is also used after the verbs go, spend time, start, stop, admit, deny, keep and (don't) mind.

• She admits stealing the purse but denies taking the money.

Use -ing forms after prepositions. Certain verbs and adjectives take certain prepositions.

Adjective + preposition + -ing

be good / bad at
be interested in
be proud / ashamed / afraid of
be worried / concerned / excited about

• They are good at learning languages.
• I am interested in learning another language.
• She is proud of passing the test.

Verb + preposition + -ing

agree with, believe in, insist on, think of, be arrested for, be accused of, be bored with, be fed up with

• He insisted on bringing the wine.
• He was arrested for driving while drunk.
  

Before or after + -ing

• Before having breakfast I take a shower.
• After seeing the movie we went for a coffee.
  

Use the -ing form to make suggestions after How about...?, What about...?, Do you feel like...?.

• What about going to the movies?
• How about helping me with this?
• Do you feel like having a coffee?

The -ing form is also used in many compound nouns:

• shopping mall, washing machine, waiting room, training program, parking lot, shaving cream