Things I Love Doing

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B1Grammar in Context

Things I Love Doing

I can distinguish enjoyment from intention using the appropriate verb pattern.

Created by , British English teacher.

I’m studying:

Try the activities, then check your answers.

Choose a short recording.

Your situation

“I love cooking,” says Mina, “but I don’t want to run a restaurant.” “I enjoy taking photographs,” says Jo, “and I plan to join a photography club.” A hobby, a current wish and a plan are different messages.

Read the situation transcript

“I love cooking,” says Mina, “but I don’t want to run a restaurant.” “I enjoy taking photographs,” says Jo, “and I plan to join a photography club.” A hobby, a current wish and a plan are different messages.

Does enjoying an activity automatically mean wanting it as a job?

Compare your idea

No. Mina enjoys cooking but does not want to run a restaurant.

How it works

Two adult women sharing an unbranded camera and a mixing spoon.
I enjoy taking photographs.Picture context: the woman with the camera describes an activity she enjoys. Enjoy is followed by taking.

Use -ing after enjoy to describe an activity you find pleasant. Love often works with -ing or a to-infinitive; this lesson models love doing without calling the other form wrong.

Use want or plan plus to to describe a wish or intention. Put the meaning first: enjoyment does not automatically imply a plan to do the activity professionally.

Enjoy + doing; love + doing (also often to do). Want/plan + to do.

Notice this

I enjoy taking photographs.

This expresses enjoyment.

Compare this

I love cooking.

This models an -ing complement after love.

Hear the examples

I enjoy taking photographs.

This expresses enjoyment.

I love cooking.

This models an -ing complement after love.

I don’t want to run a restaurant.

This gives a negative wish or intention.

I plan to join a club.

This states a plan.

One mistake worth avoiding

Instead of: I enjoy to take photographs.

Say: I enjoy taking photographs.

Enjoy takes an -ing form in this pattern.

You say

Hear the prompt, answer aloud, then deliberately reveal or hear one possible model. Check it and retry with a changed detail.

Your turn 1

Name an activity you enjoy.

Compare a possible model
Reveal the model text

I enjoy drawing.

Check yourself: Use -ing after enjoy.

Retry with one detail of your own. Other wording is welcome when it meets this check.

Your turn 2

Separate a hobby from a job intention.

Compare a possible model
Reveal the model text

I enjoy baking, but I don’t want to open a café.

Check yourself: Use want to for the intention.

Retry with one detail of your own. Other wording is welcome when it meets this check.

Your turn 3

State one realistic or invented learning plan.

Compare a possible model
Reveal the model text

I plan to take a photography course.

Check yourself: Use plan to plus a base verb.

Retry with one detail of your own. Other wording is welcome when it meets this check.

Two adult women sharing an unbranded camera and a mixing spoon.
I want to learn to bake.Picture context: the woman with the bowl and spoon states her learning goal. Want is followed by to learn.

Two guided self-checks

Say or write your answer before opening a model.

Self-check 1

Complete: She wants ___ a club. Use join.

Compare a model and explanation

She wants to join a club.

Want takes to plus the base verb.

Self-check 2

Combine enjoyment and intention using but.

Compare a model and explanation

I enjoy singing, but I don’t plan to perform.

Keep the patterns and the contrast clear.

Check your understanding

Choose one answer to each question, then check your answers. One of the ten questions is listening.

1. I enjoy ___ photos.

2. She wants ___ a new skill.

3. We plan ___ a club.

4. Does Mina’s enjoyment mean she wants a restaurant job?

5. Which sentence is correct?

6. Correct “He plans joining us” using the target plan to pattern.

7. Is “I love to cook” automatically wrong?

8. What does the speaker plan to do?

Read the listening transcript

I enjoy taking photographs, and I plan to join a photography club.

Opening this transcript makes this a reading-supported attempt.

9. Which verb in this lesson clearly requires -ing in the stated direct pattern?

10. What two messages should not be confused?

Automatic scoring needs JavaScript. Use the answer key after attempting all ten questions.

Answer key with explanations

  1. I enjoy ___ photos.

    taking: Enjoy takes an -ing form.

  2. She wants ___ a new skill.

    to learn: Want takes to plus a base verb.

  3. We plan ___ a club.

    to join: Use plan to join in the selected pattern.

  4. Does Mina’s enjoyment mean she wants a restaurant job?

    No: The opener explicitly separates the hobby from a job intention.

  5. Which sentence is correct?

    I enjoy reading, but I want to rest.: Enjoy takes reading; want takes to rest.

  6. Correct “He plans joining us” using the target plan to pattern.

    He plans to join us.: The requested construction is plan to plus a base verb.

  7. Is “I love to cook” automatically wrong?

    No: Love can often take either -ing or a to-infinitive.

  8. What does the speaker plan to do?

    Join a photography club: Plan to join states the intention beyond the hobby.

  9. Which verb in this lesson clearly requires -ing in the stated direct pattern?

    Enjoy: Enjoy taking is the selected -ing pattern; want and plan take to-infinitives here.

  10. What two messages should not be confused?

    Enjoying an activity and intending to do something: Enjoyment alone does not establish an intention or commitment.

Take it with you

I can distinguish enjoyment from intention using the appropriate verb pattern.

Try the companion lesson

Grammar Focus: Verb + -ing or To?Explore the Grammar catalogue