Kenji: I enjoy learning Spanish, but I want to speak it faster!
Sofía: Then keep practicing. I decided to study design at 17, and I haven't stopped drawing since.
Ben: I avoid making plans. Plans need to be flexible... like me.
Abuela Carmen: Ben, you promised to fix my radio in March. Do you mind finishing it... this year?
Common mistake: “I enjoy to read.” — Correct: “I enjoy reading.”
Some verbs are followed by -ing (enjoy reading) and others by to + verb (want to read) — the first verb decides the form of the second.
Which form comes next? The first verb decides
Group
Verbs
Example
Verbs + -ing (gerund)
enjoy, finish, avoid, keep, mind, suggest
I enjoy reading · He keeps losing his phone
Verbs + to (infinitive)
want, need, decide, hope, promise, learn
I want to travel · She decided to stay
Both, same meaning
like, love, start, begin
I love dancing = I love to dance
After prepositions → -ing
good at, interested in, before, after
She is good at drawing
Purpose → to
answers 'why?'
I study English to get a better job
Trap
stop + -ing ≠ stop + to
He stopped smoking (quit) · He stopped to smoke (paused for it)
+ing enjoy — take pleasure in doing (+ gerund)
+ing avoid — keep away from doing (+ gerund)
+ing mind — object or feel bothered by (+ gerund)
+ing finish — complete doing an activity (+ gerund)
+ing suggest — propose doing an activity (+ gerund)
+ing practice — perform an exercise repeatedly (+ gerund)
+to want — desire to do (+ to-infinitive)
+to decide — make a choice to do (+ to-infinitive)
+to hope — wish expectantly to do (+ to-infinitive)
+to promise — pledge solemnly to do (+ to-infinitive)
+to need — require to do (+ to-infinitive)
+to learn — acquire the skill to do (+ to-infinitive)
I enjoy reading before bed.
Kenji wants to visit every region of Colombia.
Sofía decided to open her own studio.
Ben keeps losing his phone.
She doesn't want to move to another city.
I don't enjoy running in the rain.
He didn't promise to come.
Do you enjoy learning English?
What do you want to do this weekend?
Do you mind closing the window?
Do you enjoy cooking? Yes, I do.
Does she want to travel? Yes, she does.
Did they decide to stay? No, they didn't.
Practice
I enjoy ___ before bed. (reading, to read, read)
Kenji wants ___ every region of Colombia. (visiting, to visit, visit)
Ben keeps ___ his phone. (to lose, lose, losing)
I study English ___ a better job. (for get, to get, getting)
After 'enjoy', 'avoid' and 'finish', the next verb takes -ing.
'I want going home' is correct.
She decided ___ (open) her own studio.
I don't mind ___ (wait).
He promised ___ (fix) the radio in March.
Unscramble: I, enjoy, learning, English
Unscramble: do, you, want, to, travel, next, year
Find the mistake: I enjoy to read before bed.
Find the mistake: She wants visiting Japan.
Find the mistake: I'm interested in learn photography.
She enjoys cooking. — Write the negative form.
They decided to stay. — Write the yes/no question.
Do you enjoy learning English? — Answer with a short answer (Yes).
I want to move to another city. — Write the negative form.
He doesn't keep practicing. — Write the affirmative form.
Do you enjoy studying grammar? (short answer)
Do you want to repeat this exercise? (short answer, No)
Listening
Sofía: Kenji, what do you hope to do before you go back to Japan?
Kenji: I hope to see whales in the Pacific! And I want to learn one vallenato song.
Ben: I suggest starting with the whales. I tried singing vallenato once... my neighbors keep talking about it.
Abuela Carmen: He means they keep complaining about it.
Kenji: I don't mind being bad at first. I enjoy trying new things!
Abuela Carmen: That's the spirit. Now, who wants to eat?
Reading
Sofía's advice column for young designers: 'People often ask me how to start. First: if you enjoy drawing, keep drawing — talent is just practice that refused to stop. Second: decide to learn something new every month; I learned to use five programs by promising to master one at a time. Third: avoid comparing your first steps with someone else's twentieth year. And last: don't stop asking questions. I hope to keep learning until I'm ninety — like my grandmother, who started painting at seventy and doesn't plan to stop.'
Sofía says talent is practice that refused to stop.
She suggests learning ten programs at the same time.