The English Corner

C1 GRAMMAR BANK: VERB PATTERNS part 2

Redaccion

20 Ene, 2014
12:04 am

V + bare infinitive (infinitive without ‘to’):

The following verbs are followed by the bare infinitive:

Help can be used with or without ‘to’.

I helped Sarah (to) carry the bags.

Make and expressions with make.

They made me leave.

In the passive, to is used.

I was made to leave.

Let and expressions with let.

They didn’t let me leave.

Let me go!

V + infinitive or gerund:
- Certain verbs can be followed by gerunds or infinitives, but their meaning changes. The most common ones are:

*stop*	+ infinitive	I stopped to write* the report*	I stopped what I was doing in order to write the report
*stop*	+ gerund	I stopped writing* the report*	I was writing the report, then I stopped
*remember*	+ infinitive	He must remember to buy* the presents*	He has the obligation of buying the presents in the future
*remember*	+ gerund	He remembers buying* the presents*	He bought the presents earlier and he remembers doing so
*forget*	+ infinitive	They forgot to book* the room*	They did not remember to do it and the room is not booked
*forget*	+ gerund	They forgot having* booked the room*	They booked the room but do not remember doing so
*try*	+ infinitive	He tried to study* for about 8 hours a day*	He made an effort to do so
*try*	+ gerund	He had even tried working* at weekends*	He tried as an experiment
*regret*	+ infinitive	I regret to tell* you that I cannot come*	I am sorry to have to tell you that I can’t come now
*regret*	+ gerund	I now regret being* so mean*	I regret something I have done
*go on*	+ infinitive	The President went on to praise* the Minister*	He continued his speech by praising the Minister
*go on*	+ gerund	She went on working* even though it was late*	She continued working
*mean*	+ infinitive	I only meant to tell* you about the party*	Synonym of intend
*mean*	+ gerund	If we leave at 6:00 it will mean getting* up at 4:15*	Synonym of involve
*consider*	+ infinitive	He is considered to be* the best tennis player*	Reporting an opinion
*consider*	+ gerund	At one point I considered emigrating.	Meaning ‘think about’
*require*	+ infinitive	They required him to fill* out a form*	He was obliged/asked to do so
*require*	+ gerund	These letters require typing	It needs to be done
*hear, see, watch*	+ infinitive	We watched all the cars cross* the finishing line*	The action is complete
*hear, see, watch*	+ gerund	I heard someone coming* up the stairs*	The action is still in progress
*allow, forbid, permit*	+ object + infinitive	The school forbids the students to smoke	These verbs are followed by ‘to’ infinitive if an object is in between. If not, they are followed by gerund.
*allow, forbid, permit*	+ gerund	The school does not allow smoking
*like*	+ infinitive	We like to go* out to lunch on Sunday*	Habitual specific preferences
*not like*	+ infinitive	I don’t like to disturb* colleagues at home*	‘think it is wrong’

The verbs attempt, begin, continue, intend, plan, propose, start can be followed by gerund or infinitive, without changing the meaning:

There is no difference in meaning whether we use gerund or infinitive. Intend, plan and propose can be followed that + clause. This may include should.

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