Infinitive? Gerund? Prepositions? Verb Patterns Infinitive? Gerund? Prepositions?

Verb Patterns Many verbs in English are like:

Verb Patterns They need a specific verb form!

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.

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

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.

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!

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

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!

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.

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