Verb patterns

Verbs + -ing
adore can’t stand detest don’t mind enjoy feel like finish hate imagine like look forward to love miss practise prefer suggest	doing cooking sightseeing

Note

Like, love, adore, prefer, hate are sometimes used with to but –ing is more usual and more general in meaning.

I like cooking.

I like to cook beef on Sundays.

Verbs + to + infinitive
Agree afford ask choose dare decide expect forget help hope learn manage need offer promise refuse seem want would like would love would prefer would hate	to do to come to cook

Notes

1. Help and dare can be used without to.

       We helped tidy the kitchen.

       They didn’t dare disagree with him.

1. Have to for obligation.

I have to wear a uniform.

1. Used to for past habits.

I used to smoke but I gave up last year.

Verbs + somebody + to + infinitive
advise allow ask beg encourage expect help need invite order remind tell want warn (+not) would like would love would prefer would hate	me    him    them   someone	to do to go to come

Verbs + somebody + infinitive (no to)
let make help	her us	do

 Notes

1. To is used with make in the passive.

We were made to work hard.

1. Let cannot be used in the passive.

Allowed to is used instead

She was allowed to leave.

Verbs + -ing or to + infinitive (with no change in meaning)
begin start continue	raining to rain

Verbs +  -ing or to + infinitive
remember stop try	doing to do

Notes

1. I remember posting the letter.

= I have a memory now of a past action: posting the letter.

I remembered to post the letter.

= I reminded myself to post the letter.

1. I stopped smoking.

= I gave up the habit.
I stopped to smoke.

= I stopped doing something else in order to have a cigarette.

1. I tried to sleep.

= I wanted to sleep but it was difficult.

I tried counting sheep and taking sleeping pills.

= these were possible ways of getting to sleep.
Taken from: New Headway.  Intermediate. Liz and Joan Soars. Oxford University Press. Appendix 2.

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