-ING vs TO + VERB

🧠 Astuce principale

-ING → action réelle, vécue, ou générale → on est dans l’action ou le souvenir.
TO + VERB → action prévue, à faire, ou intention → on regarde vers l’action.

📌 1. Quand utiliser -ING

Après certains verbes (souvent émotions, goûts, habitudes) :
enjoy, avoid, suggest, admit, consider, deny, miss, finish, give up, keep, can’t stand, practice, be worth…
→ I enjoy reading before bed.
Après une préposition (in, at, for, without, about, etc.) :
→ She’s good at singing.
Comme sujet ou objet :
→ Swimming is good exercise.
Après certaines expressions fixes :
it’s no use, it’s worth, can’t help, spend time…
→ It’s worth trying again.
Pour les temps continus :
→ I’m studying now.

📌 2. Quand utiliser TO + VERB

Après certains verbes (souvent intention, décision, plan) :
want, need, decide, plan, hope, expect, promise, agree, refuse, afford, manage, learn…
→ I decided to leave early.
Après des adjectifs + it :
→ It’s important to arrive on time.
Après certaines structures :
too + adj, adj + enough, first/last/best…
→ She’s too young **to drive.
Après verbe + objet + to + verb :
advise, allow, tell, ask, expect, want…
→ They told me to wait here.

📌 3. Verbes qui acceptent les deux (sens différent)

Verbe	-ING = passé / expérience	TO + VERB = futur / intention
remember	I remember locking the door.	Remember to lock the door.
forget	I’ll never forget meeting you.	Don’t forget to meet her.
stop	He stopped smoking.	He stopped to smoke.
try	Try adding more salt.	Try to finish on time.
regret	I regret telling her.	I regret to tell you…
go on	She went on talking.	She went on to talk about…
like/love/hate	I love reading.	I love to read before bed.
mean	This means getting up early.	I meant to call you.

📌 4. Mini-rappel

Ne pense pas seulement émotion vs rationnel — pense aussi temps et perspective :

-ING → souvenir, expérience → on vit l’action.
TO + VERB → but, plan → on vise l’action.