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Panda tile 407 Posted 4 years ago
Grammar

To Stay or Staying, and being and to be

Hi,

In the sentence, " I couldn't imagine staying three more years and being happy," why do we say "staying" happy and not "to stay happy," and why do we say "being" happy, and not "to be" happy?

  

Top answer

It's because the verb "imagine" can be followed by an "-ing" form (not by a to-infinitive). I cannot imagine staying there. [ correct] I cannot imagine to stay there.

— Teechr

  • It's because the verb "imagine" can be followed by an "-ing" form (not by a to-infinitive).
  • I cannot imagine staying there.
  • [ correct] I cannot imagine to stay there.
  • [ incorrect] I cannot imagine being happy [ correct] I cannot imagine to be happy [ incorrect]
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1 Answers
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It's because the verb "imagine" can be followed by an "-ing" form (not by a to-infinitive).

I cannot imagine staying there. [ correct]

I cannot imagine to stay there. [ incorrect]

I cannot imagine being happy [ correct]

I cannot imagine to be happy [ incorrect]

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