These verbs express how we feel about an activity — always followed by -ing:
A gerund can be the subject (the thing doing the action or being talked about). This is very common in English.
Use to + verb to explain why you do something. (= "за да..." in Bulgarian)
These verbs are always followed by to + verb:
The word "to" does two completely different jobs. The word that follows it tells you which one.
Some fixed expressions end in the preposition to, not the infinitive particle. Because they end in "to", students often add a base verb — but they need -ing.
The most important one at A1:
🔑 Quick test: replace "to" with "towards" or "at". If it still makes sense as a direction/position word, it is a preposition → use -ing.
After can, could, must, should, shall, will, may, would — use the base verb with NO "to".
make (force someone) and let (allow someone) are also followed by the bare infinitive.
In exercises with start, begin, continue, prefer, both the -ing and the to + verb answer can be correct. In normal speech, both sound natural. At A1 you will not usually be tested on which to pick — just know that both are possible.
"Stop feeding the wild animals!"
= Don't do it anymore.
"He stopped hiking because he was tired."
= He was hiking. Now he stopped.
"He stopped to photograph a bird."
= He paused his walk in order to take a photo.
"We stopped to rest by the pond."
= We paused our journey to rest.
"I remember feeding the ducks as a child."
= I have the memory of doing it.
"I forgot locking the cage."
= I don't remember whether I did it.
"Remember to bring the leash tomorrow!"
= Don't forget — you need to do it.
"I forgot to feed my cat this morning."
= I had to do it, but I did not.
"Try adding warm milk to the bowl."
= Experiment — see if it works.
"I tried whistling to call the dog."
= I used whistling as a method.
"I tried to catch the bird, but it flew away."
= I made an effort but it was hard.
"She tried to climb the slope."
= She attempted it (with effort).
Mark loves exploring new places. Hiking in the mountains is his favourite hobby. This weekend, he plans to go to the Rila mountains. He decided not to take his car and to travel by bus instead.
He needs to pack carefully because he hates being cold. It is important to bring enough water for the trail. He is very interested in taking photos of wild animals. Yesterday, he bought a new camera to get better pictures.
He hopes to see a wild deer, but he is afraid of meeting a bear. He knows he must remember to clean up his campsite before leaving. He also stopped at a shop to buy extra food for the trip, and he tried not to forget anything important.
Sarah decided to adopt a dog from the local shelter. Rescuing a pet is a big responsibility, but she was happy to do it. She went there to look for a small, quiet puppy. Instead, she fell in love with Max, a large, energetic dog.
"I don't mind walking him twice a day," Sarah says. "He is very good at catching balls. I tried to train him last week, but he kept running away. I should try using treats — it might work better."
Max made her laugh every day. She let him run free in the meadow every evening. She chose not to use a long leash because he is very gentle. Looking after a pet is not always easy, but Sarah enjoys spending time with Max and she would never stop trying to be the best owner she can be.