What is it?
The verbs like, love, and hate can be followed by another verb ending in -ing.
This structure is used to talk about activities that someone likes, loves, or dislikes.
- I like reading.
- She loves cooking.
- They hate waiting.
The -ing form names the activity.
- read → reading
- cook → cooking
- swim → swimming
When to use
Use like + verb-ing for activities that you enjoy.
- I like walking in the park.
- He likes playing football.
Use love + verb-ing for activities that you enjoy very much.
- She loves travelling.
- We love watching films.
Use hate + verb-ing for activities that you strongly dislike.
- I hate getting up early.
- They hate cleaning the kitchen.
Use this structure when talking about general preferences, habits, and activities.
Structure
Positive sentences
Use:
subject + like/love/hate + verb-ing
| Subject | Main verb | Activity | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| I / You / We / They | like | reading | They like reading. |
| He / She / It | likes | reading | She likes reading. |
| I / You / We / They | love | cooking | We love cooking. |
| He / She / It | loves | cooking | He loves cooking. |
| I / You / We / They | hate | waiting | I hate waiting. |
| He / She / It | hates | waiting | She hates waiting. |
Add -s to like, love, and hate with he, she, and it.
Negative sentences
Use:
subject + do not/does not + like/love/hate + verb-ing
- I don’t like driving at night.
- She doesn’t like cooking.
- They don’t love working late.
After doesn’t, use the base form:
- Correct: He doesn’t like waiting.
- Incorrect: He doesn’t likes waiting.
Questions
Use:
Do/Does + subject + like/love/hate + verb-ing?
- Do you like swimming?
- Does she love dancing?
- Do they hate travelling by bus?
Spelling of -ing forms
| Rule | Base verb | -ing form |
|---|---|---|
| Most verbs: add -ing | read | reading |
| Verbs ending in silent -e: remove -e | dance | dancing |
| Short vowel + consonant: double the final consonant | swim | swimming |
| Verbs ending in -ie: change -ie to -y | lie | lying |
Examples
- I like listening to music.
- She loves cooking for her family.
- He hates getting up early.
- We like walking after dinner.
- They love travelling together.
- My brother doesn’t like cleaning.
- Do you like learning English?
- Does she love dancing?
- I hate waiting in long lines.
- He likes playing video games.
Exceptions
Like, love, and hate can also be followed by to + base verb.
- I like reading.
- I like to read before bed.
Both forms are often correct, but there can be a small difference.
Verb + -ing usually describes general enjoyment or dislike.
- I like swimming.
To + base verb can describe a habit, choice, or something considered useful.
- I like to check my email in the morning.
With would like, use to + base verb, not the -ing form.
- Correct: I would like to travel.
- Incorrect: I would like travelling.
Common mistakes
-
Incorrect: I like read books. Correct: I like reading books. Explanation: Use the -ing form after like.
-
Incorrect: She love cooking. Correct: She loves cooking. Explanation: Add -s to love with she.
-
Incorrect: He hates to waiting. Correct: He hates waiting. Explanation: Do not use to before an -ing form.
-
Incorrect: They like play football. Correct: They like playing football. Explanation: Use verb-ing after like.
-
Incorrect: She doesn’t likes dancing. Correct: She doesn’t like dancing. Explanation: Use the base form like after doesn’t.
-
Incorrect: Do he like swimming? Correct: Does he like swimming? Explanation: Use does with he.
-
Incorrect: I love swiming. Correct: I love swimming. Explanation: Double the final consonant in swim before adding -ing.
-
Incorrect: I would like travelling next year. Correct: I would like to travel next year. Explanation: Use to + base verb after would like.