-ING

"I once explained this difference to a French student of English who asked if there was any between 'like doing' and 'like to do' and was accused, by a native British English speaker, of inventing things that didin't exist in English."

Like to go or like going?

Both

I like eating fruit and

I like to eat fruit are correct but they have different meanings.

I like eating fruit means that I enjoy eating fruit,

when I taste an apple or an orange etc I feel good.

I like to eat fruit means that I think that it is good to eat fruit.

I have read articles about a healthy diet and

I see that it is better for our health to eat 5 pieces of fruit or vegetables a day

Another example:

I don’t like wearing a seat belt when I am in a car

(I find it uncomfortable in hot weather, I don’t enjoy wearing a seat belt)  but I like to wear a seatbelt (it is good to wear a seat belt because if I’m involved in an accident it could save my life)

These rules can also be applied in the past.

I liked playing football in the park with my friends but I didn’t like to wear a hat when it was cold.

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So,

*use "like +ing" when you mean that something causes you pleasure!(American English frequently uses the infinitive when 'like' means 'to enjoy')

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No difference in meaning:

begin                    can’t bear                           cease                    continue
hate                      prefer                                  propose              start

Examples:

• Continue adding the flour. ⇐⇒ Continue to add the flour.
• I prefer using apricots. ⇐⇒ I prefer to use apricots.
• I hate making cakes. ⇐⇒ I hate to make cakes.

4.2 Small Difference in Meaning

like         love

Like + to infinitive has a slightly different meaning from like + -ing:

• I like to catch the early bus on Mondays. = this is a good plan or it’s a

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OBS.:     like is used together with a modal verb we can only use the like to model...

I WOULD like to eat early today,
cause I have a meeting this afternoon.

sources:
learnenglishlanguagewell.com

forum.wordreference.com
moser-isi.ethz.ch

  

 -ING cases details                                                  

1.		The -ing ending is used to show the progressive aspect (progressive / continuous verb tenses). He's studying. They were going home when I saw them. You've been working too hard! We'd been talking about you before you called. At 1:00 AM, I'll be sleeping. John might be working. I'm not sure The operation is being performed right now. The letters were being typed when I left
2.		The -ing form is also used for gerunds (verbs which are used as nouns). Gerunds can be used as nouns for subjects and subject complements: Learning a language isn't easy. Talking to Bill was a lot of fun. Communicating by e-mail has become very common. His hobby is collecting stamps. ______________________________________ Gerunds can also be used as nouns for objects of verbs and prepositions: They dislike studying. For exercise, he recommends swimming. He doesn't care about being on time. They're tired of listening to you. Did he succeed in solving the problem?
3.		The -ing form is also seen in participles (verb forms which are used as adjectives). Participles are commonly used as adjectives which modify nouns: The movie was boring. That was an exciting game. His explanation was confusing. ______________________________________ Participles are also used in phrases which modify parts of sentences or entire sentences: Whistling happily, he began to work. He entered the room, whistling happily, and began to work. Holding his hands in the air, he surrendered. He surrendered reluctantly, knowing that he had no other choice.
4.		The -ing form is also used after go in many expressions showing leisure-time activities--including go bowling, go dancing, go diving, go drinking, go fishing, go hiking, go horseback riding, go jogging, go skating, go swimming, go shopping, go skiing Special Notes: 1. After to, base forms are generally used, but when to is part of a phrasal verb and when to is used as a preposition, it is followed by an - ing form: I want to see you. / I look forward to seeing you. Are you able to do it by yourself? / Are you up to doing it by yourself? He used to smoke. / He's used to smoking. 2. If phrases with participles are at the beginning of a sentence, they should modify / describe the first noun or pronoun in the sentence: Whistling happily, he began to work. ("Whistling happily" modifies "he.") Holding his hands in the air, he surrendered. ("Holding his hands in the air" modifies "he.") ______________________________________ If a phrase with a participle is at the beginning of a sentence and doesn't modify / describe the first noun or pronoun, the meaning will not be clear. In this situation, rewrite the sentence. wrong--needs to be rewritten: *Whistling happily, the work was easy for him. wrong--needs to be rewritten: *Holding his hands in the air, the policeman knew that the criminal wanted to surrender. 3. Both present participles (- ing forms) and past participles can be used as adjectives, but they have different meanings: The movie bored me. ---> The movie was boring. / I was bored. That game excited me. ---> That was an exciting game / I was excited by that game. His explanation confused me. ---> His explanation was confusing. / I was confused by his explanation. 4. The combination go + an - ing form is not used for all leisure-time activities: wrong: *I go watching TV on weekends. *I go playing tennis on weekends. *I go sleeping late on weekends. *I go relaxing with my friends on weekends. 5. Some verbs which combine with other words are followed by an -ing form (gerund), not to and a base form: I regret saying that. He admitted stealing the money. I recommend seeing a doctor. He considered taking a vacation. They proposed taking a break. Did she suggest cheating? source: eslcafe.com  -ING  Spelling                                                 general rule: speak - speaking start - starting blow - blowing fix - fixing try - trying          : :  Simply add -ING enging with -e: hope - hoping ride - riding make - making          : :  Drop the -e and add -ING enging with -ee: agree - agreeing flee - fleeing see - seeing          : :  Simply add -ING enging with -ie: die - dying tie - tying lie - lying        : :  Change the -ie to -y and add -ING CVC cases                                                                                Consonant+Vowel+Consonant (with the exception of w, x, and y) For one syllable verbs sit - sitting run - running stop - stopping For two syllable verbs If the 1st syllable is stressed, just add ING offer - offering listen - listening visit - visiting If the 2nd syllable is stressed , double the consonant and add ING admit - admitting prefer - preferring begin - begining source: eflnet.com  -ING curiosities                                               "When -ing forms are used as verbs, adjectives or adverbs, they are often called 'present participles.' (This is not a very suitable name, because these forms can refer to the past, present, or future.) When they are used more like nouns, they are often called 'gerunds.' In fact, the distinction is not really as simple as this, and some grammarians prefer to avoid the terms 'participle' and 'gerund.'" (Michael Swan, Practical English Usage, 2nd ed. Oxford Univ. Press, 1995)