Thread: like doing and like to do

could eplain the difference, please?

There is virtually no difference.

BTW, you might like alexei. I can give you his ICQ#, if you want.

Yep, there's no difference I think.

Examples:
I like to do the dishes.(this one is better, it is general about it)
I like doing the dishes.(this one means that you are doing them at the moment)

Am I right?

Originally Posted by Евгения Белякова

Am I right?

Not vaguely.

Though...you could say that while you are doing the dishes and mean it.
You could also say it while you are taking a bath. It is a statement of fact standing alone.



The two statements are so much the same. There is only the smallest essence of difference. OK> I like riding horses. I really do. I like to ride horses so much that I could live in the stable with them.
I like to clean up after them; and I mean it. I like cleaning up after them; I still like cleaning up after them, even though this is the same as my like to clean up after them. I like to push wheelbarrows, because I like pushing wheel barrows. I am not pushing a wheel barrow today, but that's ok; I'll be pushing a wheel barrow full of dung tommorrow. If I were pushing a wheel barrow right now, I would tell you, "Can't you see I am pushing a wheel barrow? Yes, I like to ride horses, but not now!" Do you like to wash dishes? I like washing dishes. I like to dry them too. Do you like drying dishes? I like drying dishes too.

*I guess*.,.... it's a case of tomato tomato.
I don't know about the British English usage.

To do; is only slightly more formal, I think.
Lady Elizabeth says to Duke Frank, "Darling, what kind of tea do you like to drink?" Duke Frank, "Pumpkin, Darling, you know I like to drink only the finest English tea".

Farmer Pict says to Sheepherder Much, "Bloke, wha'da'ya like drinking? Beer or Beer?" "I like drinking beer, of course, but I also like drinking beer, I just like to drink, or is it drinking....." SAME.


Let's go drink! Let's go drinking!


If someone is in the process of doing, I would not ask them, "what is it you do" (though it sounds better to my ears). I would say, "What are you doing" or "what is it you are doing?" (ONLY). If it is pre-action I would say, "What is it you are planning to do?" or "What are you going to do" or "What will be done about this?"



BREATHE
sorry for the long windedness I hope it was more helpful than not and look forward to a wiser soul to clarify if there truly is a difference to the question of I like and like to do the washing of the dishes.

Originally Posted by Pravit

BTW, you might like alexei. I can give you his ICQ#, if you want. :twisted:

You can't do that - it's classified!

Originally Posted by olgaa

could eplain the difference, please?

No difference!

Originally Posted by DDT

Originally Posted by olgaa

could eplain the difference, please?

No difference!

Я соглашусь. Нет разница.

Originally Posted by shadow1

Я соглашусь. Нет разница.

разницы

There is not a difference between them and it is really more your personal preference which one you would like to use. I guess they both fit better in different sentances.

I like to do the washing up

i like doing things that involve running.

it really is just personal preference and you can use both.

Originally Posted by Евгения Белякова

Yep, there's no difference I think.

Examples:
I like to do the dishes.(this one is better, it is general about it)
I like doing the dishes.(this one means that you are doing them at the moment)

Am I right?

You're partially right. They really are used either way in the USA. "I like doing the dishes" does not imply that you are currently doing the dishes though. There really is no difference - it's more about the personality of the person and how they tend to speak.. a personal preference. I would say "I like doing the dishes" over the "to do" version simply because I can say it a little faster..

thanks, everybody!

im really confused
i asked it cos ive got a rule in the textbook:

Gavin likes getting up early because its so quiet.
Pete likes to get up early so he can get to work before the rush hour.

then there are questins:

Who enjoys getting up early?
Who chooses to get up early, but may not particularly enjoy it?



is the answer 'both'???

and can they change it this way:
Gavin likes to get up early because its so quite.
Pete likes getting up early so he can.... ?

Originally Posted by olgaa

im really confused
i asked it cos ive got a rule in the textbook:

Gavin likes getting up early because its so quiet.
Pete likes to get up early so he can get to work before the rush hour.

then there are questins:

Who enjoys getting up early?
Who chooses to get up early, but may not particularly enjoy it?



is the answer 'both'???

and can they change it this way:
Gavin likes to get up early because its so quite.
Pete likes getting up early so he can.... ?

--------
Pete likes getting up early so he can get to work on time.

No the answer is not both, though it appears so at first glance because the word "like" occures in both statements.
Gavin likes it genuinley. He looks forward to the morning.
Pete pretends to like it, because he likes to have a job. I am sure he does not "like" to have to get up early to spend 3 hours in traffic just to get to work. But if he did not get up early he would spend 5 hours in traffic just to get to work, therefore, he says, "I like getting up early because I spend less time in traffic"

I don't feel they used a very accurate/appropriate sentence with Pete.
Gavin genuinely/truthfully enjoys getting up early.
Pete does not. He chooses to. He makes the concious decision to get up early to fight traffic.

Decision based on enjoyment-Gavin
Decision based on practicality-Pete

-------------------------------

Originally Posted by olgaa

is the answer 'both'???

The truth is that that there is not enough information given in the statement to be sure. At face value, there is no difference and both answers are right. Your textbook is making too big of an issue of this because it is assuming that Peter does not want to go to work.
My answer is….your text book asks a stupid question!

Originally Posted by olgaa

and can they change it this way:
Gavin likes to get up early because its so quite.
Pete likes getting up early so he can.... ?

Yes

Originally Posted by DDT

The truth is that that there is not enough information given in the statement to be sure. At face value, there is no difference and both answers are right. Your textbook is making too big of an issue of this because it is assuming that Peter does not want to go to work.
My answer is….your text book asks a stupid question!

I agree. The book should have said something like this to imply Pete gets up only to miss traffic and not because he would get up at that time if he didn't have work:
"Pete gets up early because he likes to miss traffic."

The way it is written in your textbook, they both "like" getting up early. No one over here would say they "like to get up early" they would say ""like to miss traffic." Like is used in the wrong place in your textbook if it does not want to mean both men enjoy waking up early.

thank u very much
ive come to conclusion there is no big difference
but could u advice sth about how to determine when its said about real enjoyment and just choice over some circomstances?

'enjoy doing' and 'like doing/like to do'

thanks