Like / Dislike + Infinitve / Gerund

Question

Hi folks,first of all, Happy Easter!Would somebody be so kind to explain me why the verb 'to dislike' is followed by a gerund while the reversed antonym "to like" is followed by an infinite? Am I right?[1] I dislike reading books.[2] I like to go swim.Further, I would like to know if there is clear rule regarding verbs that require a prepositional phrase thereafter (e.g. 'to be worried about' or 'to succeed in'). Are they always followed by a gerund? Does the construction below always or in the vast majority hold true?Verb with Prepositional Phrase + Gerund?Thank you very much.

Cool Breeze · Accepted Answer

anonymouslike" is followed by an infinitive? Am I right?

No.

I like to read /reading books.

To go swim is ungrammatical. A preposition is always followed by a gerund:

I am interested in learning new things.

He was worried about getting lost.

I look forward to seeing you.

CB

Mister Micawber · Answer

anonymous1] I dislike reading books.[2] I like going / to go swimming.

'Dislike' takes only the '-ing' form.

'Like' takes either form.

There is no rule; each verb collocates differently:

I like skiing / to ski.

I enjoy skiing.

I want to ski.

anonymous I would like to know if there is clear rule regarding verbs that require a prepositional phrase thereafter (e.g. 'to be worried about' or 'to succeed in'). Are they always followed by a gerund? Does the construction below always or in the vast majority hold true?
Verb with Prepositional Phrase + Gerund?

Yes, virtually always the '-ing' form.

BillJ · Answer

anonymousWould somebody be so kind to explain me why the verb 'to dislike' is followed by a gerund while the reversed antonym "to like" is followed by an infinite? Am I right?[1] I dislike reading books.[2] I like to go swim.

Generally, the infinitival is more associated with change, the gerund-participial with actuality. Disliking something tends to be a permanent emotion. For example you would hardly dislike reading books one day, and then like reading them the next. I don't know the restriction exists.

But for some reason, “dislike” is restricted to the gerund-participial. A few other verbs have the same restriction, such as “detest” and “enjoy”.

anonymousFurther, I would like to know if there is clear rule regarding verbs that require a prepositional phrase thereafter (e.g. 'to be worried about' or 'to succeed in'). Are they always followed by a gerund? Does the construction below always or in the vast majority hold true? Verb with Prepositional Phrase + Gerund?

Prepositions typically take NPs (noun phrases) as complements, and it happens that gerund-participials (but not infinitivals) have certain similarities to nouns. This is seen in the fact that they can invert with the subject in interrogatives, and that they are less readily extraposed than infinitivals (or finite clauses).

Like / Dislike + Infinitve / Gerund

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