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Double verb constructions

Combining two verb groups in a verb group complex

Constructions which combine two main verbs are very common in all varieties of English, speech and writing, formal and informal:

Dotty decided to write a story about her favourite pop star.
verb 1 particle verb 2

Bozo likes writing stories about famous sports stars.
verb 1 verb 2

The first of the two verbs may consist of a main verb, or an auxiliary verb + main verb, or a modal auxiliary verb + auxiliary verb + main verb, whereas the second verb will always take the to form or the -ing form:

Dotty should have decided to write her story earlier. [to form]
verb group 1 verb group 2

Mr Gong has liked writing stories since he was at school. [-ing form]
verb group 1 verb group 2

Verb group 1 expresses the first clause 'happening' (via the main verb), and relates it to the situation of the speaker (via tense choice in the auxiliary verb or the main verb itself if there is no auxiliary). In addition, it may also express the speaker's judgement of the likelihood or obligation of the event (via the modal auxiliary verb).

Verb group 2 expresses a second clause 'happening' which modifies the happening of the first clause, with the to form (to write) and the -ing form (writing) expressing a subtle difference in meaning:

Kitty tried to do her homework quickly.
Kitty tried doing her homework quickly.

In the example with to, doing her homework quickly is Kitty's goal. By contrast, in the example with -ing, doing her homework quickly is the means to achieve some other goal, perhaps to watch TV.

The most general difference between these forms is 'real' (to form) or 'unreal' (-ing form). More specifically, the difference in meaning may be glossed in a number of different ways, depending on the verbs involved.

*Meanings of -ing* form and to form**
to form ('unreal')		-ing form ('real')
meaning	example	example	meaning
initial state	starts to win	ends up winning	final state
activating	begins to work	keeps working	maintaining
goal	try to relax	try relaxing	means
intention	decides to write	starts writing	action
proposing to do	would like to paint	likes painting	discussion of doing
attempt leading to possible success	struggled to open	succeeded in opening	success following attempt

In double-verb constructions the first verb group typically provides a kind of gloss for the second verb group, and this may be of various kinds:

	the reality or unreality of an action (seem to do, appear to do)
	the timing of an action (start to do, continue to do, stop doing)
	the effort or success of an action (try to do, succeed in doing, manage to do)
	the cause of an action or event (force to do, help to do)

For a summary of the relationship between the forms and the functions of verb group complexes, click here:

Alternative terms
PrimeGram	Other grammars
verb group	verb/verbal phrase