Intermediate grammar · Unit 66 · B2

to ... (afraid to do) and preposition + -ing (afraid of -ing)

-ing and to ...

Some adjectives can take either to ... or a preposition + -ing, with a change in meaning: afraid to do and afraid of doing, interested in doing and interested to hear, sorry for doing and sorry to say. The unit ends with verbs that take to ... set against verbs that take a preposition + -ing.

Go to the exercises

A afraid to do and afraid of doing

I am afraid to do something means I do not want to do it, because it is dangerous or the result could be unpleasant.

I am afraid of something happening means I am afraid that something bad will happen. Here we do not use afraid to.

The two often come together: you are afraid to do something because you are afraid of something happening as a result.

  • The bridge looked rotten. We were afraid to cross it.
  • Kirsty was afraid to tell her boss she'd lost the keys.
  • The floor was wet, so I walked slowly. I was afraid of slipping.
  • I never leave my bike outside. I'm afraid of it being stolen.
  • I was afraid to stroke the horse because I was afraid of being kicked.

B interested in doing and interested to hear

I'm interested in doing something means I am thinking of doing it, or I would like to do it. We do not use interested to here.

I was interested to hear / see / know / read something means it was interesting for me. This is the same structure as surprised to ... and glad to ... in unit 65.

  • Are you interested in joining the darts team?
  • We put the caravan up for sale, but nobody was interested in buying it.
  • I was interested to hear that the old cinema is reopening.
  • Ask your gran about it. I'd be interested to know what she remembers.

C sorry for ... and sorry to ...

Use sorry for (doing) to apologise for something you did. You can also say I'm sorry I ....

Use sorry to ... to say that you regret something that happens, and with hear, see, leave and similar verbs.

Use I'm sorry to ... to apologise at the moment you do something, usually just before you interrupt somebody.

  • I'm sorry for losing my temper this morning.
  • I'm sorry I lost my temper this morning.
  • I was sorry to hear that the bakery has closed.
  • It's been a lovely week. We'll be sorry to go home.
  • I'm sorry to interrupt, but your taxi's outside.

D Verb + to ... and verb + preposition + -ing

Some verbs take to .... Others with a similar meaning take a preposition + -ing:

to ... preposition + -ing
I want to go / I'd like to go I'm thinking of going
I hope to go I dream of going
I failed to finish I succeeded in finishing
I allowed them to stay I prevented them from staying
I plan to go I'm looking forward to going
I promised to pay I insisted on paying
  • I'd like to retire early.
  • I'm thinking of retiring early.
  • They failed to win a single match.
  • They succeeded in winning the cup.

Exercises

66.1 Write a sentence using afraid to ... or afraid of -ing, with the words in brackets.

  1. The park isn't lit at night. (a lot of people / afraid / walk / through it)

    A lot of people are afraid to walk through it.

    A lot of people are afraid to walk through it.

  2. We crossed the frozen pond very slowly. (we / afraid / fall in)

    We were afraid of falling in.

    We were afraid of falling in.

  3. I never take my good watch to the gym. (I / afraid / lose / it)

  4. I knew my dad would be furious about the dent in his car. (I / afraid / tell / him)

  5. We ran all the way to the stadium. (we / afraid / miss / the start)

  6. The ghost story got so frightening that the children hid under a blanket. (they / afraid / look)

  7. The plates were my gran's best china, so I carried them very carefully. (I / afraid / break / them)

  8. If you don't understand something in the lesson, just put your hand up. (don't / afraid / ask)

  9. I kept checking the gauge because the battery on the electric car was almost empty. (I / afraid / run out of charge)

66.2 Complete each sentence with interested in ... or interested to ... and one of these verbs.

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  1. I've put my old drum kit online, but nobody is interested in buying it.

    I've put my old drum kit online, but nobody is interested in buying it.

  2. Tariq is Japanese. He's found an evening class.

  3. I bumped into Laura in town. You'll be that she's moving to New Zealand.

  4. My brother never liked books as a boy. He wasn't anything at all.

  5. I went to the residents' meeting about the new car park. I was what my neighbours thought of it.

  6. Ellie hates clubbing. She isn't out with us tonight.

66.3 Complete each sentence with sorry for ... or sorry to ... and the verb in brackets.

  1. I'm sorry to disturb you, but have you got a minute? (disturb)

    I'm sorry to disturb you, but have you got a minute?

  2. We were that your dad has been in hospital. (hear)

  3. I'm you a liar. I was upset and I didn't mean it. (call)

  4. Mrs Okafor has been our teacher for six years. We'll all be her retire. (see)

  5. I'm you waiting so long. The traffic was terrible. (keep)

66.4 Complete the sentences in each group, using the verb given for that group.

  1. (Group 1: escape) a The prisoners wanted to escape.

    The prisoners wanted to escape.

  2. (Group 1: escape) b The prisoners weren't allowed .

  3. (Group 1: escape) c The prisoners were prevented .

  4. (Group 2: fix) a Lewis and Jo hoped the leak.

  5. (Group 2: fix) b Lewis failed the leak.

  6. (Group 2: fix) c Jo succeeded the leak.

  7. (Group 3: visit) a I'm thinking my aunt in Glasgow next month.

  8. (Group 3: visit) b I'm planning my aunt in Glasgow next month.

  9. (Group 3: visit) c I'd like my aunt in Glasgow next month.

  10. (Group 3: visit) d I'm looking forward my aunt in Glasgow next month.

  11. (Group 4: pay) a Grace wanted for the drinks.

  12. (Group 4: pay) b Grace insisted for the drinks.

  13. (Group 4: pay) c Grace promised for the drinks.

  14. (Group 4: pay) d Grace wouldn't dream for the drinks.

See also