: Re: How do you decide whether to use the infinitive or -ing version of a verb? Example: Three months had passed since she started to avoid me. Three months had passed since she started

I think it's subjective. To my ear, to avoid is a series of individual events, while avoiding implies something continuous and ongoing.

"She started to avoid me" sounds like "I called her and she didn't return my call. The next day I texted her but she didn't text back. Two days later I sent her an email which she never opened."

"She started avoiding me" sounds like "I walked in the room and she immediately left, and when I followed her she left the building."

That's just my opinion; others may hear them as interchangeable. They're both right, and I think the nuance of difference is so subtle that you could use either purely depending on which one you liked the sound of.

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: Re: How do you decide whether to use the infinitive or -ing version of a verb? Example: Three months had passed since she started to avoid me. Three months had passed since she started

More posts by @Debbie451

: Is breaking the fourth wall to the point of nonexistence appropriate for a comedy book? After considering the style and setting for my first book, I've decided on writing a comedy treasure hunt

: Consequences. A strikes B. Even if B provoked A, A still gets arrested, processed, tried, convicted, and serves time. A gets grief from family and friends. A feels mixed anger, resentment,

: Methods for creating slang I am interested in creating slang or a vernacular for a particular group in my story. I want it to be distinctive and a definite marker for in-group/out-group, but

: The backstory's overwhelming the actual story I have a character with a grim past (forced to watch torture). I need him to have that grim past in order to explain his behaviour in the story

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