1. Infinitive? Gerund? Prepositions?
Verb Patterns
Infinitive? Gerund? Prepositions?

2. Verb Patterns
Many verbs in English are like:

3. Verb Patterns
They need a specific verb form!

4. Group A: Some need an infinitive without „to“. All modal verbs
Group A: Some need an infinitive without „to“ !!All modal verbs!! He can swim well. They must be here in a few minutes. You should hold your breath longer. And: He helped her pass the exam. They let us wait for 2 hours. She makes me laugh all day.

5. Group A (infinitive without ‚to‘)
let somebody
make somebody
help somebody
can
could
must
should
shall
will

6. There are 4 main groups: Group B: Some need an infinitive with „to“ I want to help you. He forgot to sign the contract. She promised to be on time. He wanted me to stay longer. She told me to look it up in a dictionary. They asked us to come back tomorrow.

7. Group B (infinitive with ‚to‘)
want
offer
promise
would like
seem
hope
refuse
wish
agree
choose
decide
expect
manage
learn
fail
appear
arrange
continue
love*
like*
prefer*
stop**
start*
begin*
remember**
regret**
forget*
ask somebody
tell somebody
invite somebody
persuade somebody
remind somebody
* to-infinitive and -ing form is possible / ** to-infinitive and ing-form is possible; but: change of meaning!

8. Group C: Some need an –ing form/gerund Many verbs that express emotions/attitudes: I love hiking. She hated going to the cinema. I don‘t mind preparing for exams. They enjoyed having a swim in the pool. And: start + ing / finish + ing

9. Group C (-ing form/gerund)
enjoy
can‘t stand
finish
suggest
admit
avoid
mind
risk
adore
fancy
deny
imagine
dislike
practice
keep
stop**
love*
like*
start*
begin*
prefer*
forget*
remember**
regret**
These verbs can also be follwed by a noun. Example:
He enjoys reading this book.
He enjoys the book.
* to-infinitive and -ing form is possible / ** to-infinitive and ing-form is possible; but: change of meaning!

10. Group D: Some need a preposition and the preposition needs an –ing form/gerund Thank you for helping me. They succeeded in confusing him completely. She‘s interested in climbing the Mount Everest. He gave up smoking a long time ago. I insisted on doing it on my own.

11. Group D (preposition + -ing form)
be interested in
be good at
be fed up with
go on with
be excited about
keep on
look forward to
give up
insist on
thank for
succeed in
„How about…?“
apologise for
be famous for
be guilty of
talk about
think about
dream about
be afraid of
be accused of
Other prepositions: on of
for
with
about
instead of
in spite of
before
after
without by at