It is very common to use strings of verbs - where two verbs are used in sequence. For example, the verb want is commonly used in this way:

Only the first verb in the string is finite (has tense and subject-verb agreement). The second verb must be in a non-finite form, and this can be difficult for learners as there is more than one non-finite form of the verb which can be used. Commonly the form used is to + infinitive, as in the example above. However, there are some common verbs which require the -ing (present participle) form of the verb to be used in the second verb, instead of the base form. For example, the verb enjoy is commonly used in this way:

There are also some verbs such as stop which can be used in both patterns, but with different meanings. (we shall study these in the next lesson).

Here is a list of some of the common verbs used only in the pattern:

verb 1 (finite) + verb 2 (-ing form)

Here is a list of some of the common verbs used only in the pattern:

verb 1 (finite) + verb 2 (to + infinitive)

Some problems for students

It is easy to confuse these verbs and make mistakes such as the following examples: 

û She  enjoys to dance.
û He denied to do  the robbery.
û He managed finishing the exam in time.

Using the concordancer

A good way to study how the -ing form is used with these verbs is to use the concordancer. The picture below shows how you can use the Associated Word concordancer to search for examples:

To find the examples shown above:

1. Set the keyword string to 'ing' with the type field set to 'ends with'.
2. Set the 'Associated word' field to the verb you want ('avoid').
3. Select the 'Left of keyword only' radio button.
4. Select the corpus and press 'Go'.

The resulting concordances should be something like the following examples:

1    s he possibly  could to avoid brushing against the very, very dim  perimet
2     so that his heads could avoid looking at each  other,  because  neither  
3    is precisely what you will avoid doing because  the  average  Vogon  will 
4     been on it. I've tried to avoid being on it."    "You've still finished i
5     at us,   so if you could avoid laying your problems on us as well, I thin
6    easure not to be able to avoid meeting."    Zaphod took a  moment  or  two