Hello everyone! Today we are going to talk about an English grammar problem that has caused many people headaches: should the word "learn" be followed by "to do" or "doing"? Don't worry, after reading this article, you will surely find the answer!
First of all, we need to understand that "learn" is a transitive verb, which means that it usually needs to be followed by an object. This object can be a noun, a pronoun, or a phrase made up of infinitives or gerunds. However, it is not accurate to say "learn doing something" directly, because "learn" is more commonly followed by the infinitive "to do".
When we want to express learning a new skill or activity, we usually use the structure "learn to do something". For example:
1. i want to learn to swim.(I want to learn to swim.) ）
2. she is learning to cook.(She's learning to cook.) ）
In this structure, "to do" denotes a specific action or skill, while "learn" denotes the process of learning.
While "learn to do" is the most common usage, in some specific phrases or expressions, we can also use the form "learn + gerund". For example, the phrase "learning by doing" uses the structure of "learn + gerund". Note, however, that this is not a one-size-fits-all rule, but rather a context-specific usage.
To sum up, in general, we should use "learn to do something" to convey the meaning of learning a new skill or activity. But in some specific phrases or contexts, the form "learn + gerund" can also be used. However, in order to avoid confusion and mistakes, it is recommended that you try to follow the more common and standard usage of "learn to do something" in your daily use.
Finally, learning English grammar does take some time and patience, but as long as you practice and summarize more, you will definitely be able to master these seemingly complex rules! I hope this article can help you solve your doubts about the use of "learn", and I wish you all a happy English study!