Verb patterns

Verb patterns
verb + ing, verb + infinitive, verb + that clause
The tables show the main patterns used for over 400 of the most common verbs when one verb follows
another. They also list verbs which can commonly be followed by a that clause, as well as one or two
other patterns.

o

verb + to-infinitive
verb + to-infinitive

o

verb + obj + to-infinitive

o

Verb + obj + bare infinitive



verb + -ing form

o
o

verb + -ing form
verb + obj (or possessive) + -ing form

o

verb + obj + -ing form



verb + to-infinitive or -ing form

o
o
o

o
o
o


with no difference in meaning
with little difference in meaning
with a difference in meaning
infinitive variations
verb + for + obj + to-infinitive
verb + infinitive / perfect infinitive
verb + bare infinitive
verbs that take a that clause

o
o

verb + that + clause
verb + obj + that + clause

o

verb + that + obj + (should) + bare infinitive



verbs that can take a wh-word + to-infinitive or clause

o

verb + wh-word + to-infinitive / clause

o
o

verb + verb + obj + wh-word + to-infinitive / clause
verb + whether + to-infinitive / clause



constructions with prepositions

o

verb + preposition + -ing

o
o

verb + preposition + subj + -ing

verb + obj + preposition + -ing

Update 4/1/2015 - I've added a couple of extra categories :


Verb + object + to be sth (to have done sth)



Verb + object + sb/sth (object complement)



Verb + two objects - indirect object + direct object

You can also look at individual verbs to see the different ways they can be used.


Verbs that take an infinitive
verb + to-infinitive

verb + obj + to-infinitive

verb + obj + bare infinitive

afford to do sth

persuade sb to do sth

make sb do sth

plans and decisions
aim
arrange
choose
decide
intend
plan
prepare
propose
vote

Many of these are
causative verbs
advise
allow
ask
beg
cause
command
convince
dare
enable
expectations
encourage
demand
entreat
deserve
expect
expect

forbid
hope
force
reckon
get
want
implore
wish
intend
would like
invite
yearn
leave
need
promises and refusals nominate
fail
oblige
guarantee
order
offer
pay
pledge
permit
promise
persuade
refuse
prefer
resolve
press
swear

recommend
threaten
remind
undertake
request
vow
require
teach
other verbs
tell
afford
train
agree
trust
allow (passive only)
urge
appear
want
apply
warn
ask
would like
beg

have
let
make
have sb do sth is mainly used in
American English
I'll have my secretary call you.

In passive
structures makeneeds to
He was made to take the test
again
verb + obj + (to-)infinitive
help
help can be used with or
withoutto


claim
consent
dare
desire
forget
get
happen
help
learn
know
manage
mean
need
negociate
plead
pretend
seek
seem
tend
train

volunteer
wait
Verbs that take an -ing form
verb + -ing form

verb + obj + -ing

verb + obj + -ing form

admit doing sth

imagine sb('s) doing sth

see sb doing sth

saying and thinking
admit
advocate
anticipate
consider
describe
deny
discuss
envisage
imagine
mention
propose
suggest

In more formal language

we can use a possessive
with these verbs when
talking about a person or
group of people I appreciate you(r) helping
me
advocate
anticipate
appreciate
detest
dislike
dread
envisage
forbid
forget
forgive
foresee
hate

We can't use possessive forms
after any of these verbs, only
object forms

liking and disliking
adore
appreciate
detest
dislike

verbs of perception followed
by an ing-form or a bare

infinitive
An -ing form suggests we see
the event in progress
He heard her closing the door
a bare infinitive suggests that
we see the completed action.
She saw him leave the house
feel
hear
listen to


enjoy
fancy
feel like
mind (neg and Qs)
phrasal verbs
carry on
give up
keep on
put off
can't
can't face
can't help
can't stand
other verbs
advise
allow
avoid
delay

encourage
finish
go skiing, jogging etc
involve
keep
miss
postpone
practise
quit
recall
recommend
resent
resist
risk
spend time
tolerate

imagine
involve
like
love
mind (neg and Qs)
miss
prevent
recall
recommend
recollect
regret
remember
resent

risk
start
stop
can't stand
tolerate

look at
notice
observe
overhear
see
sense
watch
can only be followed by aningform
catch
They caught him stealing
related verbs
discover
find
smell
other verbs
keep
leave
They kept us waiting
She left him sleeping

Verbs that take an infinitive or an -ing form
no difference

little difference

difference

attempt doing sth/to
do sth

like doing sth/to do sth

remember doing sth/to do sth

attempt
begin
cease

can't bear
dread
hate

forget
go on
mean


continue
intend
start

like
love
prefer

regret
remember
stop
try

Verbs + infinitive variations
verb + for + obj + toinfinitive

verb + infinitive or perfect
infinitive

verb + bare infinitive

wait for sb to do sth

claim to be sth / have done should do sth / have done sth
sth

appeal
apply
arrange
ask
call
clamour
long
opt
pay
plead
press

vote
wait
wish
yearn

appear
claim
happen
pretend
prove
seem
tend
reporting verbs

Modal auxiliaries
can
could
will
would
shall
should
may
might
must
ought to
semi-modals
dare (in negs and Qs)
need (in negs and Qs)
other constructions
have to

be going to

Verbs which take a that clause
verb + that + clause

verb + obj + that + clause

verb + that + obj + (should) +
bare infinitive

admit that + clause

persuade sb that + clause

insist that sb (should) do sth

Reporting verbs

advise
assure
convince
guarantee
inform
persuade
promise

In standard British English the
version with should is usually
used.
insist that sb should do sth

admit
anticipate
answer
believe
boast

In more formal British English
and standard American English,


brag
calculate
claim
complain
confess
confirm
consider
declare
demand
deny
disclose
explain
indicate
mention
order
pretend
profess
recall
recollect

realise
say
state
suggest
threaten
warn
Other verbs (many of
these can also be used
for reporting)
acknowledge
advise
advocate
agree
allow (admit)
appreciate
argue
arrange
assume
check
command
decide
demonstrate
determine
direct
doubt
dream
envisage
estimate

remind

tell
threaten
warn

the subjunctive form with the
bare infinitive (without should)
is preferred.
insist that sb do sth
In informal British English
normal tenses are also
sometimes used.
insist that sb does sth
advise
agree
ask
beg
command
demand
desire
insist
instruct
intend
order
propose
recommend
request
require
stipulate
suggest
urge

warn


establish
expect
fancy
fear
feel
foresee
forget
guarantee
guess
hear
hold
hope
imagine
instruct
joke
know
learn
maintain
mean
notice
observe
plan
presume
promise
propose
prove
reckon

recognise
regret
remember
reply
report
require
resolve
reveal
see
seem
sense
show
suppose
suspect
swear
think
trust
understand
vow
wish


Verbs + object + to be sth / to have done sth / sth
verb + obj + to
be + sth

verb + obj + to be/have

verb + obj + sth

imagine sb/sth to be
sth

presume sb/sth to be sth /
to have done sth

consider sb/sth sth

I imagined him to be
older than that.

He presumed her to have
forgotten.

They appointed
him chairman.(object
complement - noun).

allow
appoint
assume
believe
cause
certify
choose
confess
consider
declare
deem
elect

estimate
expect
find
get
hold
imagine
intend
judge
know
mean
need
perceive
presume
proclaim
project
prove
repute
rumour
report
say
see
show
suppose
think
want
wish

believe
presume
understand

She considers him very
helpful.(object complement adjective)
appoint
baptise
believe
call
certify
choose
christen
confess
consider
crown
declare
elect
find
hold
imagine
judge
make
name
nominate
paint
presume
proclaim
profess
prove
rate
suppose
think

vote
wish


Passive structures with reporting verbs
Many reporting verbs can be used in passive structures to distance the information
being reported. The two main patterns are:
Subject + passive reporting verb + to-infinitive
He is believed to be hiding in a local forest.
It + passive reporting verb + that + clause
It is thought that he had help from the outside.
The first type has several variations: we use a perfect infinitive for past reference
He is understood to have escaped in a stolen car.
We can use continuous and past continuous forms
He is considered to be managing quite well.
He is reported to have been living off wild plants.
and sometimes a passive infinitive is used
He is presumed to have been given food by local people.
The reporting verb can also be in the past
He was seen to enter the forest early in the morning.
Verbs which can take a wh- word + to-infinitive or a wh-clause
wh-words include - what, when, where, which, who, why and how (or the way)
verb + wh-word + toinfinitive / clause

verb + obj + wh-word + to- verb + whether + to-infinitive /
infinitive / clause
clause

discuss what to do /
what + clause

tell sb how to do ... / how + discuss whether to do sth /
clause (or other wh- word) whether + clause

arrange
calculate
check
choose
consider
debate
decide
describe
demonstrate
determine
discover
discuss
establish
explain
find out
forget
foresee
guess
imagine

advise
inform
instruct
remind
teach
tell

choose
consider
debate
decide
determine
discuss
find out
These two verbs can be
forget
used with or without an
know
object - ask (sb) when to do remember
sth
wonder
ask
show
ask can be used with or without
an object - ask (sb) whether to
do sth
ask


know
learn
notice
plan
realise
remember
say

see
talk about
think (about)
understand
wonder
Verbs which take special constructions
verb + sth done

sth needs doing

verb + sth (to be)done

have something done

something needs doing

want sth (to be) done

have
get

need

need
want

Constructions with prepositions
After prepositional verbs, phrasal verbs with a preposition particle and verbs which
take dependent prepositions we use an -ing form
verb + preposition +

ing

verb + preposition + subj + verb + obj + preposition + -ing
-ing

dream about doing
sth

object to sb('s) doing sth

forgive sb for doing sth

abstain from
aim at
appeal to
apologize for
approve of
argue against
argue for
bargain on
believe in
beware of
boast about
brag about
choose between
complain about
concentrate on

approve of
begin with

disapprove of
insist on
object to

accuse sb of
acquit sb of
advise sb against
arrest sb for
blame sb for
charge sb with
compensate sb for
condemn sb for
congratulate sb on
excuse sb for
fine sb for
forbid sb from
forgive sb for
involve sb in
praise sb for


decide on
disapprove of
dream about
escape from
get out of
excel at
hold off
insist on
joke about

look into
object to
participate in
persist in
reckon on
see about
set about
succeed in
take part in
think of / about
win by

put sb up to
press sb into
prevent sb from
prohibit sb from
punish sb for
stop sb from
suspect sb of
thank sb for

Verbs that take two objects
Some verbs can take an indirect object as well as a direct object. Using an indirect
object is an alternative to using a prepositional phrase with to or for
verb + ind obj + dir
obj (=to)

verb + ind obj + dir obj
(=for)

give sb sth / sth to sb

make sb sth / sth for sb

She read him a story
(= She read a story to
him)

He poured her a drink
(= He poured a drink for
her)

award
give
grant
hand
lend
offer
pass
pay
play
post
promise
read
sell
send
show

book
build

buy
bring
catch
choose
cook (bake etc)
find
fetch
get
keep
leave
make
order
pour


sing
take
teach
tell
throw
write

prepare
reserve
save

Infinitive of purpose
After many verbs or verb + object we can use an infinitive of purpose
I've come to help you
He's taking her to see the fireworks.

After phrasal verbs with an adverb particle we can also use an infinitive of purpose
She's gone out to buy some vegetables
She went up to greet him