Forget gerund or infinitive???

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ESL forum > Ask for help > Forget gerund or infinitive???

Forget gerund or infinitive???

keftor

Forget gerund or infinitive???

Hi everyone,

I really need help. Could you please tell me the difference between these sentencese?

1- He forgot to pay the milkman yesterday morning.

2- He forgot paying the milkman yesterday morning.

Thanks a lot from now.

Rıdvan

27 Apr 2009

forgot to pay = he didn �t pay the milkman because he forgot to do it

forgot paying = he paid the milkman but doesn �t remember doing so. He has no recollection of this action although it happened

27 Apr 2009

agkk

Hi Rıdvan,

In the first sentence (forget to pay) : You forgot it and you didn �t pay.
In the second sentence (forgot paying) you paid but you forgot that you had paid

Ayşe

27 Apr 2009

sedefg�l

And, What is the differnece between the two sentences below:

1) I like to read book.

2) I like reading book.

???

27 Apr 2009

I like to read book. ( at this specific time)

I like reading book. ( general)

Ex: I don �t really like dancing but the guy is very handsome. I like to dance if he asks me to.

27 Apr 2009

sedefg�l

Thanks a lot gizodido!Thanks to you, this is very clear to me now!

27 Apr 2009

Spagman63

It should say books. A single noun usually needs an article.

27 Apr 2009

mendiv

I have to disagree with gizodido. The two sentences mean the same thing.

I like to read books. (all the time, anytime...)
I like reading books. (all the time, anytime...)

(We do need to say books for these sentences as Spagman63 said.)

For the sentence to refer to a specific time we would need to add some other words.

I would like to read books.
-or a specific book-
I like to read this book. (again, though, this implies that you read this book often)

The only difference I see, is when you might use each. It would depend on the context.
If someone asks what you like to do, you might say, "I like to read." (You don �t really need to say �books �.)
If someone asks what your favorite hobby is, you might say, "I like reading books." (Again, you don �t really need to say �books � but it fits better here.)
Even with these examples, though, you could switch the answers and still be correct.

With the dancing example, you need to add �would � as well.
I would like to dance if he asks me. -or- I would dance if he asks me.

Hope this is helpful,
Mendi

27 Apr 2009

I understand gizodido �s explanation. I believe this is a BR ENGLISH distinction.

regards

mamamima

27 Apr 2009