Phrase Usage – Start to Look vs. Start Looking: Correct Phrase Usage

phrase-choicephrase-usage

What is the difference between the two? Do they mean the same thing?

Example sentence:

If you keep standing there, people will start to look/start looking at
you.

Best Answer

Both structures have the same meaning. However, it's preferable to use the infinitive one, when you use the present participle of the verb "start", e.g.:

  1. I'm starting to get embarrassed, please stop doing that in front of my friends! (CORRECT)
  2. I'm starting getting embarrassed, please stop doing that in front of my friends! (Although it gives the same meaning as the former, it's unusual to use this structure with this verb, and sometimes it can sound weird to native speakers.)

Looking at your sentence, both can be used as you're not using the present participle form of the verb "start":

If you keep (on) standing there, people will start to look/start looking at you.

I found a web that gives other difference, but that difference doesn't seem to exist actually as far as I know, and @FumbleFingersReinstateMonica indicates below.

LINK: https://www.englishpage.com/gerunds/gerund_or_infinitive_different_list.htm

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