Writing Prompt ~ Infinitive or -ing?

Posted by: Tara Benwell

Writing Prompt: Many English learners have difficulty choosing between the infinitive form and the -ing form. Native English speakers don’t think about this. They know which one to choose by what sounds right. English learners have to learn the rules and memorize which verbs come before the infinitive and -ing form. Review the basic rules about when to use an infinitive and when to use -ing. Then write a paragraph about some of the hobbies you had when you were a child.

My Childhood

When I was a child we did a lot of camping. Camping was an inexpensive leisure activity. We couldn’t afford to go on a lot of vacations. We also loved swimming. My friend’s mom used to take me swimming once a week. I wasn’t a strong enough swimmer to go swimming without a parent until I was in grade six. Then I used to go swimming with my friends. We were happy to have the freedom at that age. I also liked skipping when I was a young girl. I liked to skip by myself and with my girlfriends. I enjoyed riding my bike, too. When we were nine, we were old enough to ride our bikes to the corner store or to a friend’s house. We knew that we needed to walk our bikes at the lights. Biking was how I got my exercise. When it was too cold to bike, we went skating. I learned how to skate when I was about five years old. We had a skating rink in our backyard.

Written by Tara Benwell for EnglishClub
Tara Benwell is a Canadian freelance writer and editor who specializes in materials and articles for the ELT industry.
© EnglishClub.com

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