Do/Doing
Only –ing form.
Be good at; be fed up with; apologise for; look forward to; insist on; succeed in; be keen on; be for; be worth; in spite of; instead of; before/after/by/without; how about (?).
She’good at dancing.
The look forward to going on holiday.
Avoid; delay; fancy; give up; mind; practice; dislike; feel like; involve; miss; risk; enjoy; finish; keep/keep on; postpone/put off.
I avoid visiting noisy bars.
Admit; consider; deny; imagine; report; suggest.
He admitted lying to the police.
Can’t stand/be used to/get used to.
I’m used to driving fast.
She got used to getting up early. (Never confuse with used to do as in: I used to work there 3 or 5 years ago.)
Only Infinitive.
Agree; afford; expect; manage; plan; promise; threaten; choose; fail; hope; warn; prepare; refuse; wish; decide; hesitate; learn; offer; pretend; make; teach; ask; let; remind; invite; force/get/order.
They let him go.
Modals; seem/appear/turn out/prove/happen/chance.
May I come in?
Would rather (sooner), had better
You’d better go home.
Both variants.
Begin; hate; prefer; continue; can’t bear; love; start; bother; intend. (little difference if any).
I began to prepare/preparing as soon as I heard about the exam.
Feel, hear, see and watch.
+ do=action complete (I saw them cross the road.)
+ doing=action in progress (I saw them crossing the road.)
Remember & forget
+ do=action will happen (Son, remember to turn off the light.)
+ doing=action has happened (I remember turning off the light.)
Try
+ do=make an effort (They tried to help but in vain.)
+ doing=experiment (Try jogging a bit every day.)
Stop
+ do=stop in order to (He stopped to smoke.) (=and)
+ doing=no longer do it (He stopped smoking.)
Go on
+ do=continue by; do/say smth new (The teacher went on to discuss the homework.)
+ doing=not stop working; continue doing the same (She went on working.)
Regret
+ do=be sorry to have to inform smb that… (We regret to inform you that we cannot offer you the post.) (in formal English)
+ doing= be sorry that smth has happened (She regretted accepting the job after the 1st day.)
Need, want & require.
+ do= it’s necessary to do smth (I need to work harder than usually.)
+ doing=smth needs to be done (This room wants tidying.)
Help (to) do but can’t help doing.
Everybody helped (to) clean up.
I can’t help laughing.
Like.
+ do=to think smth right (BrE) (I like to clean my flat every weekend.)
+ doing=enjoy (BrE) (I like living here.)
Both variants in meaning “to enjoy” in AmE
Would like (love/hate/prefer) is usually followed by to do. (Would mind is usually followed by doing.)
We’d like to have gone on holiday but we didn’t have enough money.
Propose.
+ do=intend (He didn’t propose to forgive them this time.)
+ doing=to put forward to consideration (What do you propose doing?)
Mean.
+ do=intend (Do you mean to say he actually approves it?)
+ doing= to signify (To love a woman means giving up everything else.)
Allow; advise; recommend; encourage; permit; forbid.
She doesn’t allow smoking here.
She doesn’t allow us to smoke here.
Be afraid.
I’m afraid to go to the dentist.
I’m afraid of going to the dentist.
Offer & suggest.
I offered to work with me.
He suggested going to the cinema.