Be Fond Of Doing vs. Fond To Do
Cambridge documents fond of + noun/-ing for liking people, things, or activities. The page therefore preserves the preposition of rather than inventing an infinitive alternative.
Use “be fond of doing something” for liking an activity. The cited authority documents the of + -ing construction, not a parallel “fond to do” complement for that meaning.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| liking an activity | fond of + -ing | treat “of” as the required preposition before the activity |
| liking a person or thing | fond of + noun/pronoun | use the same preposition before the object |
| bare infinitive for this liking sense | fond to + verb | do not treat as an equivalent complement |
Quick tests
Preposition test
Does “fond” mean having affection for a person/thing or liking an activity?
If yes: Use “fond of + noun/-ing.”
If no: If a different meaning is intended, recast the sentence rather than creating a parallel “fond to do” pattern.
Caveat: The cited authority documents “fond of,” including “fond of doing something,” for this meaning.
Examples
She is fond of reading before bed.
The activity follows prepositional “of” as an -ing form.
They are fond of their old neighbourhood.
A noun phrase follows “of.”
She is fond to read before bed.
Better: She is fond of reading before bed.
For the documented liking construction, use “fond of reading.”
Further guidance
Core difference
Cambridge documents be fond of + noun/-ing for liking an activity.
Style Boundary
The evidence supports the prepositional of-complement; do not infer a parallel fond + to-infinitive for the same meaning.
Sources and evidence
Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.
- Fond (opens in a new tab)Cambridge University Press · Direct dictionary evidence for be fond of + noun/-ing.