Brazilian dude wrote:
So what the book seems to be saying is that likes+gerund should typically be followed with because phrases, whereas likes+infinitive should typically be followed with so phrases.
No, Tim, the book is discussing whether one should use the gerund or the infinitive after like. What follows is immaterial, although it does help to set the right context.
Yes, I get that. But I think there is more at work here than is obvious.
Use of the verb enjoy
always requires the gerund form of the verb that is the object thereof. I tried to think of some examples where the infinitive form might be acceptable, but I could not.
Sally enjoys running in the rain.
Sally would enjoy running in the rain.
Sally had enjoyed running in the rain.
Billy enjoys eating pizza.
Billy would enjoy eating pizza.
Billy had enjoyed eating pizza.
That's why it's crystal clear what the speaker/writer means when the gerund form is used to express enjoyment through the verb like
On the other hand, the verb choose
most often teams with the infinitive form of its verb-object. But I still think there is something else that is hidden in the because-so
I think the subtle message from the authors is that you don't enjoy
something in order to do or have something else
. You enjoy
something for a reason
However, all that aside...
I think the hidden force of like
is that is has a multiplicity of uses.
In my experience, in North American English, you can get away with either the gerund or the infinitive form to express enjoyment or preference. (In the case of preference
, I think the infinitive form makes that clearer.)
LIKE as PURE ENJOYMENT:
Sandra likes driving...
Sandra likes to drive...
......but only when no one else is on the road.
Ben liked riding his bike...
Ben liked to ride his bike...
......especially when it was raining.
LIKE as PREFER:
Richie likes to clean the kitchen right after any social gathering at his place, so he doesn't have to do it the next day.
Susan likes cleaning the kitchen right after any social gathering at her place, so she doesn't have to do it the next day.
LIKE as WANT:
Sandra would like to drive when no one else is on the road.
Ben would like to call his friend, as soon as the phone company has fixed the line.
I think in the above examples, the meaning of like
is made clear, based on context.
The only time the infinitive form is required is when the writer/speaker means want
, in which case the modal would
changes the meaning to conditional to convey the intended meaning when combined with the infinitive form.
Modal would like
still means would enjoy
when combined with a gerund instead of an infinitive.
But that may just be me.