Look at these examples to see how these verb patterns work.
The bus stopped picking up the children.
The bus stopped to pick up the children.I want to try studying with a friend to see if it helps us stay more motivated.
I'm trying to study but it's impossible with all this noise.
Try this exercise to test your grammar.
Read the explanation to learn more.
Grammar explanation
Some verbs have a different meaning depending on whether they are followed by an -ing form or to + infinitive.
stop
Stop + -ing means the action is not happening any more.
I've stopped buying the newspaper because now I read the news online.
Stop + to + infinitive means that someone or something stops an activity so that they can do something else.
He stopped the video to ask the students some questions.
try
Try + -ing means that you are trying something as an experiment, especially as a possible solution to a problem, to see if it works or not.
Have you tried turning the computer off and on again?
Try + to + infinitive means that something is difficult but you are making an effort to do it.
I'm trying to learn Japanese but it's very difficult.
remember/forget
Remember + -ing and forget + -ing refer to having (or not having) a memory of something in the past.
I remember watching this film before.
I'll never forget meeting you for the first time in this café.
Remember + to + infinitive and forget + to + infinitive refer to recalling (or not recalling) that there is something we need to do before we do it.
Please remember to buy some milk on the way home.
He forgot to lock the door when he went out.
Do this exercise to test your grammar again.
Hello MartialWhite,
My first reaction to this sentence is the same as yours. The sentence you suggest is definitely correct and means that the problems that parents face should be talked about.
Perhaps the sentence you ask about could make sense in a specific context. I can't think of one where it would, but perhaps it's because I'm not very imaginative! Feel free to share it with us and we can have a look.
All the best,
Kirk
LearnEnglish team
Thank you for your response and explanation Kirk.
That sentence I repeat again for clarity. The sentence "Problems facing parents should be discussed. " actually has no specific context, it was presented, as an example in a grammar book, to explain use of participle phrase with a present participle after a noun.
Thank you for your time and cooperation.
My dear best teacher Peter
Thank you for such clear lessons which include enough simple examples. I learn a lot from you. And Thank YOU, BRITISH COUNCIL.
I read somewhere that there are more verbs which go with ing and to-infinitive and the meaning is different. Verbs like "go on", "quit" and "regret".
I am sorry to say that I didn't find them on this page. Can you please teach them too.
Thank you, Teacher.
Hi jafarghaffari,
We are very happy to hear that you find our website useful :)
You may find this page from Cambridge Dictionary (linked) useful, especially the section "To-infinitive or -ing form with a change in meaning".
Jonathan
LearnEnglish team
It helps us try to change our lives. Is 'helps us try' a bare infinitive here?
Hi Ahmad Mukit Khan,
Yes, right.
After the verb "help", you can put an infinitive verb either with "to" (... helps us to try ...) or without "to". Both are grammatically correct and the meaning is the same.
Jonathan
LearnEnglish team
hi!
i have a question about the infinitive forms. can we use them in different tenses. for example the "simple infinitive"
"i expect to pass the exam"
"i expected to pass the exam" ( can we use expected as a past simple form)
the same for continuous infinitive
"they appear to be gossiping about her"
" they appeared to be gossiping about her"( can i use appeared instead of appear)
and i also want to know the difference in using of "the continuous infinitive" and " perfect continuous infinitive" and "perfect infinitive"
as far as i know we use the continuous infinitive to express that the action is happening around the time expressed by the main verb of the sentence.
we use the perfect infinitive that something happened before the main verb and that thing is not something that was in progress at that time.
and we use the perfect continuous infinitive to express an action in progress or happening over a period of time and this is also happening before the main verb in the sentence.
i hope you can check if i have understood it right and if not i hope you can explain it to me. thank you
Hi nino23,
Yes, that's right. It seems you've got a good understanding of these structures :)
Jonathan
LearnEnglish team
Hello. Verbs which are followed by to+ verb can be in any tenses like past, past perfect, future. It doesn't matter
The rule is the same.
Hello,
Can you help with this sentence?
Many people worry that texting will make people forget how to write well.
Why is "forget" and not "to forget"?
Thank you.