Grammar: Special expressions followed by -ING

-ING verb forms are commonly used in English for everyday communication. In this lesson, we are going to learn about special expressions followed by -ING.

GO + Gerund

Go is followed by a gerund in certain idiomatic expressions to express, for the most part, recreational activities.

go hiking / go shopping / go birdwatching / go boating / go sailing
go dancing / go camping / go canoeing / go kayaking/ go fishing 
go skiing / go jogging / go hunting / go skating / go sightseeing 
go skateboarding / go swimming / go snorkeling / go window shopping

Special Expressions followed by -ING form

In English, there are some special expressions that are followed by an -ING form of the verb.

1. a.) have fun/a good time + -ING
   b.) have trouble/difficulty + -ING
   c.) have a hard time/difficult time + -ING
   – We had fun / We had a good time playing.
   – I have trouble finding his house.
   – I have difficulty talking to him.
   – We had a hard/difficult time working with this team.
2. a.) spend + expression of time or money + -ING
   b.) spend + expression of time or money + -ING
   – We spend most of our time learning English.
   – He spent $10 buying that toy car.
   – They wasted money buying the used boat.
3. a.) sit + expression of place + -ING
   b.) stand + expression of place + -ING
   c.) lie + expression of place + -ING
   – She sat at her desk writing a letter.
   – I stood there wondering what to do next.
   – The children are lying in bed reading comic books.
4. a.) find + pronoun/noun + -ING
   b.) catch + pronoun/noun + -ING
   – When I walked into my office, I found George using my telephone.
   – When I walked into my office, I caught a thief looking through my desk drawers.
   * Note: both find and catch mean ‘discover”. Catch often expresses anger or displeasure.

Learning English free with Youtube videos

We build a Youtube channel named Học Tiếng Anh. We have many videos for learning English. Please subscribe to our channel so you don’t miss any new video uploaded.