Hate, like, love and prefer
We can use hate, like, love and prefer with an -ing form or with a to-infinitive:
- I hate to see food being thrown away.
- I love going to the cinema.
- I prefer listening to the news on radio than watching it on TV.
- He prefers not to wear a tie to work.
In American English, the forms with to-infinitive are much more common than the -ing form.
There is a very small difference in meaning between the two forms. The -ing form emphasises the action or experience. The to-infinitive gives more emphasis to the results of the action or event. We often use the -ing form to suggest enjoyment (or lack of it), and the to-infinitive form to express habits or preferences.
Compare
| I like making jam.He likes telling jokes.They don’t like sitting for too long. | emphasis on the experience/action |
| We have a lot of fruit in the garden. I like to make jam every year.I prefer to sort out a problem as soon as I can.If you prefer not to go camping there are youth hostels nearby. | a habit or preference |
The -ing form is more common than the to-infinitive form after hate and love:
- I hate decorating. I’d rather pay a professional to do it.
Would + hate, like, love, prefer
When we use would or ’d with hate, like, love, prefer, we use the to-infinitive, not the -ing form:
-
We would love to hear you sing.
-
Not:
We would love hearing you sing. -
They*’d hate** to cause a problem.*
-
Not:
They’d hate causing a problem. -
I’d prefer not to give you my name.
-
Not:
I’d prefer not giving you my name.
- Like
- Would like
- Prefer