Sumie's question of July 30, 1999 about infinitives and gerunds:
The followings are the result I looked up on my dictionaries as to the usages of "hate doing sth" and "hate to do sth." The differences between them are still vague to me.Longman Contemporary English Dictionary:
Paul hates having his photo taken.
I hate to see you making a fool of yourself.
Longman Language Activator:
Most people hate going to the dentist. He hates being interrupted.
I just hate to see you making a fool of yourself.
Collins Cobuild:
He hated coming home to the empty house.
He hates to be interrupted during training.
Grammar books say that gerund should be used when someone always hate something, but some English-Japanese dictionaries say that it depends on the context. How can I explain to my student?
This is a great question, as it shows the differences a slight change in a sentence can make.
The basic difference is as follows:
1) I hate drinking. = I don't enjoy drinking.2) I hate to drink. = I don't think drinking is a good thing to do.
(Note that #2 could also simply indicate that the speaker doesn't like drinking.)
This is also the case with another verb of preference: like. The gerund is usually used to simply express the idea that you don't enjoy something. The use of the infinitive may indicate that someone doesn't think something is a good idea.
I like to get a physical examination every year. (The speaker thinks it is a wise thing to do.)
Note, however, that some people may use these constructions interchangeably.
I like to ski. (or) I like skiing.
These could have some difference in meaning, or they could mean the same thing (the speaker enjoys skiing). The context in which the comment is made will make the speaker's intention clear. Also, the addition of a qualifying phrase often makes it very clear.
I like to stretch before I go jogging.
This seems to indicate that the speaker thinks that stretching before jogging is a good idea.
Please let me know if you have any further questions about this!
