英语中有些动词后面加to do 或doing 时含义不同，举例如下：

 

1.             After failing to catch the first train, he regretted not taking her advice.

=After failing to catch the first train, he regretted not having taken her advice.

  =After failing to catch the first train , he regretted not have taken her advice.没赶上头班车，他很懊悔没听从她的建议。

I regret to tell you that you have not passed the exam. 我遗憾地告诉你，你考试没及格。=Iam sorry to tell you that you have not passed the exam.

解析：regret doing=be sorry for what happened对已发生的事感到后悔，遗憾

regret to do=be sorry for what one is going to say对眼下要发生的事感到遗憾或不安 [多用：regret to say…; regret to inform…; regret to tell…对即将…表示遗憾； 但是regret to hear则表示“听到了……感到惋惜”表示已发生了的动作。]

 

2.Please remember to post the letter for me.请记住为我寄这封信。

  I remember posting the letter for you.我记得曾替你寄过那封信。

I remember hearing that I heard it before.=I remember having heard that I heard it before.=I remember to have heard that I heard it before.我记得以前曾听过这事儿。

If I had remembered to close the window, the thief would not have got in. 如果我记得去关窗户，小偷就不会进来

When asked by the police, he said that he remembered arriving at the party, but not leaving.当警察询问时，他说他记得到达参加聚会的时间记不得走的时间。

解析：

remember to do sth.=remember what one has to do记着要去做某事

remember doing sth.=remember what one has done or what has happened            记得曾经做过某事

有时动名词前可加自己的逻辑主语

I remember reading the book.

  I remember Wei Fang’s reading the book.

I remember each one of them reading the book.

 

3.He forgot turning the light off. 他忘记他已经关了灯了。 ( 已做过关灯的动作)

The light in the office is stil on. He forgot to turn it off. 办公室的灯还在亮着，它忘记关了。(没有做关灯的动作)

He left his umbrella in my house and I also forgot to bring it here.他把雨伞落在我家，我也忘了把伞带来。

解析：forget to do sth.忘记要做的事（没做）

      forget doing sth.忘记过去曾做过的事=forget to have done

（forget doing一般用将来时否定式或现在完成时的肯定式。通常不说：forgot doing sth. 。可改做：I forgot that I had done it. 或I forgot about doing it.

I forgot meeting/having met her in 1980[有人认为:forget doing和having done无大区别。一般式强调单存事实；完成时强调动作完成。]

 

4. Do you think it wise for Chinese mothers to try to do everything for their children?中国的母亲们都想方设法为自己的孩子们准备好所事情，你认为这明智吗？

I tried to cure his pain on the arm by trying rubbing his sore arm.我用试着擦红肿的手臂的方法，设法治愈他手臂的伤。

解析：try to do sth .  = try one’s best to do sth.

=try and do it

=attempt/strive to do sth. difficultly

=make an effort to do sth 努力去做某难事[to do目的状语]

  try doing sth. = try a new way of doing sth.

=make an experiment or do sth. to see what will happen尝试着做某事（看会发生什么情况）

 

5. In some parts of London, missing a bus means waiting for another hour. 在伦敦某些地区，错过一班车就意味着要再等上一小时。

Wasting time means killing life. 浪费时光就意味着浪费生命。

There's a man at the reception desk who seems very angry and I think he means to make trouble. 在接待处有个人似乎很生气，我认为他想要捣乱。

I didn’t mean to hurt your feeling．我没想要伤害你的感情。

解析：mean to do sth.打算，想要

      mean doing sth.意味着，意思是

 

6. Having worked for several hours, he stopped to take a rest.工作了好几个小时后，他停下来去休息了。

  He went on walking and never stopped talking. 他继续走，说个不停。

She reached the top of the hill and stopped to rest on a big rock by the side of the path.　她到了山顶，停下来在一个路边的大石头上休息。

A."I'm very tired." 

B."We really should stop studying and go to bed."B.我们的确不该学习而该休息了。

解析：stop to do sth.停下正在干的事开始干另一件事（to do 不定式为目的状语）

       stop doing sth.停下正在干的事（doing动名词作stop的宾语）

 

7.The old man went on doing his work after a short rest. 那位老人稍作休息便又干起手中的活。

The old man went on to play another song. 这个老人接着弹奏另一首曲子。

They went on to do Exercise Two after finishing Exercise One.做完练习一后，大家接着做练习二。

They went on doing the same exercise after a short rest.短暂休息后，大家继续做那道习题。

解析：go on to do sth.接着做另一件事

      go on doing sth.继续做同一件事

  Let’s go on with the mater in hand.让我们继续做手头上的事吧。（表示“继续进行同一件事情）

The wasp flew upwards and then went on with the chase.黄蜂向上飞去，然后继续追逐。 （表示“做完一件事情后又接着做另一件事情）

 

8. We couldn’t help to finish the work 我们不能帮助完成这件工作。

  We couldn’t help finishing the work.我们不得不结束这件工作。

  I’m afraid your suggestion can’t help improve the service of their shop.恐怕你的建议无助于改进他们商店的服务水平。

  When she heard the news, she couldn’t help jumping with joy.

  I couldn’t help being struck by the beauty of the West Lake.

解析：can’t help to do sth. 不能帮助做某事

      can’t help doing sth.情不自禁，不得不

 

9. They left off fishing.=They stopped/ceased fishing.他们停止了钓鱼。

  They left off to fish.= They left off to go fishing.=They left off in order to fish.他们停下来去钓鱼

    It’s time to leave off talking and to start acting.

解析：leave off to do sth.离开某地去干某事(目的状语)

      leave off doing sth.=stop(doing) sth.停止做某事

 

10. Bamboo is used for more than building. It can also be used to make beds, vases, chairs, and so on. 竹子不只是用来盖房，还可以用来做床、花瓶、椅子等等。

He used to live in the big city, but now he is used to living quietly in the countryside.他过去住在大城市，但现在习惯了乡村的宁静生活。

English is used by travellers and business people all over the world.英语被全世界的商人和旅行者使用。

  English is used as a tool. 英语被用作一门工具。

解析：be uesd to 有两种意思 ：
be used to doing 习惯于做某事,to 是介词后+v+ ing
be used to do 被用来做某事,to后+ 动词原形

be(be 可换成 get,grow,become,have got]) used to doing=be accustomed to习惯做什么

used to do过去常做某事，曾经做过什么事！

be used for被用来做什么（介词for表示用途）

be used as 被用作…（介词as表示“作为”）

be used by 指某物被某人利用或使用

11.  He was afraid to cross the road alone.他不敢一个人过马路。

Some children are afraid to go upstairs in the dark.有些孩子不干摸黑上楼。

She is afraid of waking up the baby. = She is afraid that she might wake up the baby. 她担心把婴儿吵醒了。

Don’t be afraid to ask for help if you need it. 如果需要帮忙的话，尽管说出来。

解析：be afraid of doing sth.（怕而不愿）害怕某事所产生的结果,表示害怕发生不愉快的事和意料之外的事

be afraid to do sth.（怕而不敢）害怕某事不敢做做某事有顾虑

 

12. When I got back home I saw a message pinned to the door, reading “Sorry to miss you; will call later.” (NMET 1999) “我到家时看见门上别着一张纸条，上面写着：“登门拜访，未曾谋面。回头我将打电话给你。”

I am sorry to say(=I must tell you, but it makes me sad) that our efforts have failed.很遗憾，但我必须告诉你我们的努力的失败了。

I'm sorry for waking you up yesterday. 很抱歉昨天把你弄醒了

解析：be sorry to do sth. 对正做的事情或将要做的事情表示抱歉

be sorry for doing sth. =be sorry for having done sth对已经做过的事情表示歉意

 

13. I fail to see why you find it so amusing.我弄不懂你们为什么对这件事感到如此好笑。

   He never fails to phone his mother on her birthday.每逢母亲过生日时，他都会打电话给她。

   The chairman failed in trying to persuade the committee to share his opinion.主席未能说服委员会同意他的观点。

   He has been failing in health for the last two years.近两年来，他的健康状况一直在衰退。

解析：fail to do sth. 没有，不能

      fail in （doing） sth.在……方面失败

 

14. He started learning／to learn writing when he was only three．他三岁就开始学习写字。

    He began(started,continued,ceased) to learn English while he was in hospital.= He began(started,continued,ceased) learning English while he was in hospital.

解析：begin or start 接动名词着眼于强调动作的持续性；接不定式着眼于强调行为动作的开始。一般情况下，指开始某一动作,接 doing( to do) 均可。但下面只能接 to do

1.       begin(start)本身是进行时态

She is starting to cook the dinner．她正开始做饭。

It’s beginning(starting) to freeze.

2.       当句子主语是物时

The snow began to melt when the sun came out. 冰开始融化了。

It began to get dark before we know it. ．

3.       后跟表示认识过程的动词(know; realize; understand)

    She began to believe his story. He began to realize that he was wrong.

4.       后跟表示心理活动的动词(think; consider; notice; doubt; supect; wonder; feel; wish)

She started to wonder who had done it. 她开始(感到)纳闷，这件事究竟是谁做的。

5.       无意识的行动多用不定式

The meaning begins to be clear. 意思渐渐清楚起来。

 

15. He is sure to win.他肯定会赢。

    He is sure of winning.他自信会赢。

He is certain to succeed.=I am certain/ It is certain that he will succeed.他必定成功。=be sure to do sth.

He is certain of succeeding.=He knows for certain that he will succeed.他确信可以成功。=be sure of doing sth.

 

解析：be sure to do sth.表示别人“相信”句子主语

be sure of doing sth.句子主语“相信”

 

16. He is interested to study American English.他很想研究美国历史。

He is interested in studying American English.他对研究美国历史很感兴趣。

解析：be interested to do sth.指未发生的动作

      be interested in doing sth.指doing动作已发生或经常发生的习惯动作

 

17. We all long to visit the Great Wall.我们大家都渴望游览长城。

He is long in deciding.他迟迟才做出决定。

解析：long to do sth.渴望，想要

         be long in doing sth.迟迟才做

 

18. Do you agree to go with us if we agree to lend you some money?如果我们答应借钱给你，你同意和我们一起去吗？

He agreed to go alone.他答应自己去。

He agreed to my going alone.他答应我一个人去。

解析：agree to do sth. 同意做某事（自己做）

      agree to doing sth.同意做某事（别人做）

      agree to （doing）sth. 同意；赞成。to 为介词，后接表示“建议；办法；计划”等名词。

 

19. I understood him to say that he was too busy to come.我相信（断定）他要说他太忙不能来。

    I can’t understand him/his leaving so suddenly.我不能理解他的突然离去。

  I cannot understand their being forbidden to go to the meeting. 不许他们去开会，我不能够理解。

解析： understand sb. to do sth.相信，推断，

understand one’s doing sth.理解

 

20. I learned swimming last year but up to now I haven’t leart to swim yet.

Although he learned swimming, he didn't learned to swim.

解析： learn doing 表示“学过做某事，正在学习”

learn to do表示“学会”、“ 学会做某事”

 

21. I propose delaying our decision until the next meeting.=I propose that we delay our decision until the next meeting.本人提议推迟到下次会议再做出决定。

    Mnay students propose to go to the park on Sunday.许多学生打算周日去公园。

I propose resting for half an hour. 我建议休息半个小时。
　　I propose to go to London this summer. 我打算夏天到伦敦去。
解析：propose to do打算做、计划

propose doing 建议做、提议

有一类动词既可以用动名词作宾语，又可以用不定式作宾语，两种结构在意义上差别不大。动名词作宾语时往往表示一般或抽象的多次动作，而不定式作宾语一般表示将来的，具体的或一次动作。常见的有： can't bear (无法容忍) , continue (继续) , dislike, hate (不喜欢) , intend (打算) , like（喜欢） , love (爱) , neglect (忽略) , prefer (宁愿) 等。例如：
I like swimming but I don’t like to swim today.

Do you prefer strolling outside or staying inside ( to stroll outside or to stay inside ) ? 你是想在外面散步，还是想呆在室内？

 

22. They made no attempt to escape. 他们并未试图逃跑。

They made no attempt at escaping.他们并未试图逃跑。

Don’t attempt to do it by yourself.= Don’t attempt doing it by yourself.不要企图一个人做这件事。

解析：attempt to do 和attempt doing 汉语意思相近，但是用法不一，
1、attempt to do是表示具体的尝试做什么，是很具体的一次性行为；
2、attempt doing是指比较一贯性的，长期以来的。

  He will attempt to beat the world record.她下决心要打破世界记录。