Unit 63: there's no point in -ing, it's worth -ing etc.

A number of fixed expressions are followed by -ing: there's no point in doing, it's worth doing, have trouble doing, spend time doing, and go -ing for sports and activities.

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A there's no point in / it's no use / it's no good + -ing

These three expressions all say that an action will achieve nothing:

there's no point in doing something it's no use doing something it's no good doing something

Note the prepositions. We say no point in ... but the point of ..., usually in a question.

There's no point in buying a season ticket if you only go twice a year.
There was no point in queuing any longer, so we went home.
It's no use crying about it now. The milk is spilt.
It's no good shouting at the printer. It can't hear you.
There's no point in owning a bike.
What's the point of owning a bike if it lives in the shed?

B it's worth / it's not worth + -ing

It's worth doing something means the effort will be repaid. It's not worth doing something means it will not.

You can also say that something is worth it or not worth it, with no verb at all.

The thing itself can be the subject: a film is worth seeing, a book is worth reading, an idea is worth thinking about.

York is a lovely city. It's worth spending a weekend there.
The match finished at midnight, so it wasn't worth driving home.
Take the coastal path. It's longer, but it's worth it.
We didn't bother with the museum. It wasn't worth it.
It's a brilliant book. It's worth reading.
Somebody broke into the shed, but there was nothing worth taking.
That's an unusual suggestion. It's worth thinking about.

C have trouble / difficulty / a problem + -ing

We say have trouble doing, have difficulty doing and have a problem doing. The verb takes -ing, never the infinitive.

One does not have trouble to find a parking space. One has trouble finding one, usually in Leeds.

We had no trouble finding the campsite.
Did you have a problem renewing your passport?
My grandad has difficulty hearing on the phone.

D spend / waste (time) + -ing, and be busy + -ing

We say spend (time) doing something and waste (time) doing something.

We also say (be) busy doing something.

She spent the whole afternoon trying to fix the washing machine.
I waste far too much time scrolling through my phone.
I couldn't answer the phone. I was busy putting the baby to bed.

E go + -ing for sports and activities

We use go -ing for many sports and outdoor activities:

go swimming, go fishing, go sailing, go riding, go skiing, go surfing, go jogging, go camping, go hiking, go scuba diving

The same pattern covers go shopping. For the difference between gone and been, see unit 7.

How often do you go jogging?
We went camping in Snowdonia last summer.
Mum isn't in. She's gone shopping.
I've never been surfing.

Exercises

63.1 Which sentence on the right goes with each sentence on the left?

I know you don't mean it.
He could be anywhere by now.
It's not worth getting the bus.
Somebody needs to take charge.
His mind is made up.
It's worth spending an afternoon there.
It's not worth losing sleep over.
It's worth thinking about.

The castle is beautiful.f
The castle is beautiful. It's worth spending an afternoon there.
That's a clever suggestion.
It's no good everybody just standing around.
It's only a small mistake.
There's no point in chasing the dog.
It's no use saying sorry.
It's not worth trying to persuade my dad.
The cinema is just round the corner.

63.2 Write a sentence beginning There's no point ... for each question or piece of advice.

Why buy a lawnmower if you haven't got a garden?
There's no point in buying a lawnmower if you haven't got a garden.
There's no point in buying a lawnmower if you haven't got a garden.
Why go to the meeting if nobody listens to you?
Don't try to fix the car if you don't know what's wrong with it.
Why leave now if the train isn't until ten?

63.3 Complete the second sentence so that it means the same as the first. Use -ing.

I found the hotel in the end, but it was difficult. (I had a problem ...)
I had a problem finding the hotel.
I had a problem finding the hotel.
I find it hard to sleep on trains. (I have a problem ...)
Josh got a place at college easily. It wasn't a problem. (He had no trouble ...)
It will be easy to park near the stadium. (You won't have any problems ...)
It was easy for us to follow the instructions. (We had no difficulty ...)

63.4 Complete each sentence with one word only.

I waste a lot of time worrying about things that never happen.
I waste a lot of time worrying about things that never happen.
How long do you spend to work every morning?
Gemma is moving house on Saturday, so she's busy everything into boxes.
I spend far too much time games on my phone.
The path up the cliff was steep, but it was worth to the top for the view.
Let's be sensible about this. There's no point in our tempers.
Kieran has joined a choir. He spends hours in the shower.
Sara has started a new job and she's busy to know everybody.
The post needed ten years' experience, so I decided it wasn't worth for it.
It's no good to open that window. It's been painted shut.

63.5 Complete each sentence with go fishing, go jogging, go riding, go shopping or go skiing. Put go into the correct form.

go fishinggo jogginggo ridinggo shoppinggo skiing

Harry has a rod and a little boat on the river, so he often goes fishing.
Harry has a rod and a little boat on the river, so he often goes fishing.
We booked a chalet in the Alps last winter and every day.
There are stables near my aunt's farm, so when we visit we can .
Bethan wants to get fit. She round the park three mornings a week.
Your dad isn't in. He . He needed a few things for tonight.

there's no point in -ing, it's worth -ing etc.