When we want to say what we like or dislike, we use the verbs love, like and hate.
The verbs Like/Love/Hate is usually followed by a gerund (verb + –ing). We use a gerund after these verbs when the meaning is general or when we talk about the action or the experience.
Sentence structure:
Subject + Like/Love/Hate + gerund [verb + -ing] + the rest of the sentence
Examples:
| Subject | Like/Love/Hate | Gerund | Rest of the sentence |
| I | love | cooking | paella. |
| I | like | listening | to music. |
| I | hate | sleeping | on the couch. |
Sometimes, we use to-infinitive after like, love, and hate if we are talking about a particular time or situation or to express habits or choices.
Example:
I like reading books. – (You like reading books in general.)
I like to read books. – (Reading books is an activity that you choose to do.)
It is more common to use the -ing form after the verbs love and hate.