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Basic Verb-Verbal Patterns

(from the Gallaudet Writer's Handbook
by Marcia Bordman and Anne Womeldorf)

Some verbs are often followed by either infinitives (verb + to) or gerunds (verb + ing), but only according to a rigid pattern which is seemingly without logic. Warning! Only the verb itself shows tense in these patterns. For example, in the sentences below, 'enjoy' is the main verb while 'studying' is the gerund.

 

He is enjoying studying Spanish now. present progressive + gerund
He enjoyed studying Spanish last year. past tense + gerund

     

  1. VERB + INFINITIVE
    1. Napoleon chose to marry Josephine.
    2. Will he ever learn to keep his mouth shut?
    Examples:

     
    agree choose expect learn plan stop want
    ask decide hope need seem try

     

  2. VERB + GERUND
    1. He is enjoying playing tennis these days.
    2. Do you mind waiting in line for me?
    Examples:

     
    avoid discuss finish mind practice stop
    consider enjoy keep postpone quit

     

  3. VERB + INFINITIVE OR VERB + GERUND
    1. He began to think it was a bad idea.
    2. He began thinking it was a bad idea.
    Examples:

     
    begin hate love
    continue like see

     

  4. VERB + OBJECT + VERB ROOT1
    1. He saw him come.
    2. The devil made me do it.
    Examples:

     
    feel help make
    hear let see

     

  5. VERB + OBJECT + INFINITIVE
    1. His advisor encouraged him to go to college.
    2. They wanted us to teach them to read Spanish.
    Examples:

     
    advise cause convince force teach
    allow ask encourage permit want
1 FYI With the sense verbs (feel, hear, see), you will sometimes see the pattern VERB + OBJECT + GERUND. For example, "He saw him coming."

 



Update: June 2002
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Updated April 28, 2002
Copyright© 1997-present by English Works! at Gallaudet University, Washington, D.C.
TTY: (202) 651-5832 -Comments and questions- email us