English Word Skills Exercises for A2 – Verb + infinitive or -ing form

1. Circle the correct verb form in these sentences. Tick the box if both forms are correct.

1   My friends agreed paying / to pay for my ticket.

2   I don’t mind cycling / to cycle in the rain.

3   I’ve started learning / to learn the saxophone.

4   Two men have admitted stealing / to steal the painting.

5   We ended up staying / to stay at the hotel for a week instead of two nights.

6   Do you like going / to go for walks on the beach?

7   I hate seeing / to see animals in pain.

8   I don’t expect passing / to pass all my exams.

9   She offered phoning / to phone me later.

2. Complete the text with the infinitive or -ing form of the verbs in brackets. Sometimes both are correct.

At the end of a long journey, most people prefer 1 to get (get) home and relax as soon as possible. They don’t fancy 2…………………….. (shop), but they don’t want 3…………………….. (arrive) home with nothing to eat.

Now, travellers who pass through Gatwick Airport in London can avoid 4…………………….. (return) home to an empty fridge by choosing 5…………………….. (visit) a virtual shop. There are no real products in the shop, only images on ten large screens. When you decide 6…………………….. (buy) something, you use your smartphone to scan it. You keep 7…………………….. (scan) items until you’ve found everything you need, then you pay. After that, you can spend a week or two 8…………………….. (enjoy) your holiday. The shop promises 9…………………….. (deliver) your shopping soon after you get home. According to the retailer, the virtual shop is a perfect combination of traditional and online shopping. People enjoy 10…………………….. (look) around shops, but they also love 11…………………….. (shop) online because it’s so convenient.

3. Study the dictionary entries and answer the questions.

1   How many meanings are there for each verb? ………………………………

2   Which verb takes an infinitive? ………………………………

3   Which verb takes an -ing form? ………………………………

4   Which entry shows the verb pattern at the start of one meaning? ………………………………

5   Which entry only shows the verb pattern in an example? ………………………………

6   Which entry uses bold and italic type for two words that often go together? ………………………………

4. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the words in brackets.

1   I try to avoid …………………….. on Saturday because the shops are so crowded. (shop)

2   Do you think he’ll agree …………………….. his company to a bigger firm? (sell)

3   Jon decided …………………….. a job with another company. (take)

4   He spends a lot of his time …………………….. clients. (meet)

5   The bank has refused …………………….. us any money. (lend)

6   I promise …………………….. you know about any changes. (let)

7   I fancy …………………….. out tonight. (eat)

8   I told him we’re not interested, but that salesperson keeps ……………………… (call)