In English, you may have the next possible
ways (patterns or structures) in which verbs are shown in a sentence.
1.
One Verb (I mean, subject +
verb + complement)
E.g. I like pizza / I have
been studying English for 4 years (here, “have
been” are actually auxiliaries, not verbs. So the verb is ‘study’)
2.
(This and the next structures
consist of two verbs) Verb + to-infinitive
E.g. Jack has to study
hard to pass this term (The first verb is ‘have’ and the second, ‘study’)
These verbs are frequently
followed by to-infinitive:
Choose decide expect forget hate hope intend learn like
love mean plan prefer would like would love agree refuse arrange attempt fail manage
tend promise want.
3.
Verb + object + to-infinitive
E.g. I asked the teacher
to repeat the class (The object here is ‘the
teacher’ and it can be replaced by an object pronoun when the object is not
unknown: I asked him to repeat the class. ‘Him’=’the teacher’)
These verbs are often
followed by an object and
to-infinitive:
Advise ask encourage invite order persuade remind tell
warn not expect intend prefer want would
like allow enable force get teach
4.
Verb + Gerund
E.g. Susan enjoyed dancing
at the party yesterday (The first verb is ‘enjoy’ and the second, ‘dance’)
These verbs are commonly
followed by a gerund:
Detest dislike enjoy
hate fancy like love mind admit consider deny imagine remember suggest avoid begin
finish keep miss practise risk quit
5.
Verb + object + gerund
E.g. I could hear someone
singing (Here, could is a modal verb; the first verb is ‘hear’ and the second, ‘sing’.
The object is ‘someone’, which might also be replaced by an object pronoun: I
could hear her singing; when we already know who ‘her’ is)
These verbs can be followed by an object and a gerund:
See watch hear smell listen to catch find imagine leave
prevent
6.
Have, make and let are neither followed
by a to-infinitive nor a gerund. E.g. let me go to the loo please! / Have your
secretary look for the document / Make me understand better
*The verb ‘help’ may or
may not be followed by a to-infinitive. E.g. Help me to study maths please! =
Help me study maths please!
7.
Start and begin can be followed
by a to-infinitive or a gerund. E.g. It started raining / It started to rain.
8.
These verbs can be followed by a to-infinitive
or a gerund, but there’s a difference in meaning:
Stop + to-infinitive (to stop doing something
in order to do something different)
E.g. I stopped the car to
buy a soda
Stop + gerund (to quit (abandon) doing
something)
E.g. I stopped smoking (I
decided not to do it any more)
Remember + to-infinitive (to remember
that you have to do something)
E.g. Please, remember to turn
the cooker off when the water has boiled.
Remember + gerund (to remember to have
done something)
E.g. I think this is not
my first time in this place, I remember seeing that picture before / Why are
the keys lost? I remember leaving them on the table
Try + to-infinitive (to make an effort
to do something)
E.g. I’ve tried to stop
smoking, but I can’t / Try to be punctual next time!
Try +
gerund (to do something to see if it helps you solve a problem or something
that is needed)
E.g. Wife: This computer doesn’t work! Husband: Try restarting it!
Continue + to-infinitive (to not stop
happening or being)
E.g. It continued to rain
till midnight
Continue + gerund (to not stop doing something)
E.g. He continued typing
while he spoke
Sources:
