Grammar Reference

Verbs

-ing form

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

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

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

Verb + preposition + -ing

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

Before or after + -ing

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

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