VERB PATTERNSAKA GERUNDS & INFINITIVES

Infinitive or –ing?1. verb + verb ‘to’ infinitive only

I want to go to the cinema.I want you to do your homework.

Verb + ‘to’ Infinitive ExamplesAim, arrange, attempt, can’t

afford, claim, decide, deserve, hope, intend, learn, long,

manage, offer, plan, prepare, refuse, seem, tend, threaten,

vote, wish

I aim to please. I managed to

beat him at poker.

Verb + (object) + ‘to’ Infinitive

Examples

choose, expect, help, need, pay, want, would

like

She wants me to go to the party.

I chose you to help me out.

Verb + object + ‘to’ Infinitive

Examples

allow, challenge, enable, encourage,

force, inspire, invite, order, remind, teach,

train, trust, urge

My parents taught me to respect other people.

They allowed her to have the afternoon off.

2. verb + verb ‘ing’ onlyI enjoy studying English.

I dread my friends finding out about my secret.

Verb + -ing form ExamplesAdore, avoid, can’t stand, can’t help, consider, delay,

deny, describe, detest, dislike, don’t mind, dread,

enjoy, fancy, finish, imagine, keep, miss,

practise, resent, resist, risk, spend, waste

• I never waste time ironing my clothes.• My family always avoids talking to me.

3. verb + verb ‘bare’ infinitive [without ‘to’]

Let me help you (to) do the exercise.When I was a kid, they made me wear a uniform.

[Active Voice]But: I was made to wear a uniform. [Passive Voice]

Infinitive & –ing4. verb + verb ‘to’ infinitive or ‘ing’

[without change in meaning]I began / started / continued to study / studying

French.They didn’t bother to talk / talking to the boss.

5. verb + verb ‘to’ infinitive or ‘ing’ [with change in meaning]

B. Try• Try studying.• Try and study.• Try to study.C. Love / Like / Hate

• I hate paying bills.• I like to pay my bills on

the deadline.

A. Stop• I stopped smoking. • I stopped to smoke.

I remember going to Rio at Carnival.

I remembered to buy a souvenir there.

I’ll never forget talking to her every evening.

I forgot to send her a birthday post on Facebook.

D. Remember / Forget

E. Regret• I regret having (had) my tongue pierced.• I regret to inform you that you have failed the exam. 

F. Mean• Buying this house means paying a high mortgage.

• Do you mean to get married?

Special Cases1. Prefer

• I prefer chocolate to coffee.• She seems to prefer watching soap operas to

talking to me. • I would prefer to see a movie rather than

stay/staying at home.prefer = would rather

• We had better not be late for the Ambassador’s party. It would be unforgivable to arrive late.

• You had better phone him and tell him that you're not going.

• They had better buy me a Christmas present or I shall never forgive them.

• I would rather watch a video than go to the cinema.

• I would rather be lying on a beach than working.• I would rather not go out this evening, if you don't

mind.• I would rather you did something. would rather = had better

used to suggest necessary action (slightly threatening in tone; more urgent than ‘should’

or ‘ought to’)

2. Hear / See / WatchWe watched all the cars cross the finishing line.

I heard someone coming up the stairs.

3. Used toI used to go to clubs.

[Past Habits] = used to + verb ‘to’ infinitiveBut:

I am / got used to driving long distances. [Present Habits] = get / be + used to + -ing form

4. DareDare can be used without ‘to’ when there is no object. Compare:

• They dared him to jump.• I didn't dare (to) say anything.

• How dare you speak like that to me!