Verb Patterns
Learn how different English verbs take different grammatical patterns, and why matching the right pattern to each verb matters, at B2 level.
Different verbs are followed by different grammatical patterns.
Some verbs are followed by:
- a gerund (-ing)
- an infinitive (to + verb)
- an object + infinitive
- a preposition + gerund
It is important to:
- recognise common patterns
- use them accurately
- understand how meaning can change
What Is a Verb Pattern?
A verb pattern is the grammatical structure that follows a verb.
Compare:
- “She enjoys reading.”
- “She decided to leave.”
Both sentences are correct, but the structure after the verb is different.
Verb + Gerund (-ing)
Some verbs are followed by a gerund.
Structure
verb + gerund (-ing)
Common Verbs
- enjoy
- avoid
- consider
- suggest
- finish
- mind
- admit
- deny
- practise
- risk
- imagine
- can’t help
- keep on
Examples
- “I enjoy reading.”
- “She avoided answering the question.”
- “They suggested going earlier.”
- “Do you mind opening the window?”
Verb + Infinitive (to + verb)
Some verbs are followed by an infinitive.
Structure
verb + to + base verb
Common Verbs
- decide
- hope
- plan
- promise
- agree
- refuse
- afford
- manage
- offer
- pretend
- seem
- arrange
Examples
- “We decided to stay home.”
- “She hopes to study abroad.”
- “He refused to answer.”
- “They agreed to help us.”
Verb + Object + Infinitive
Some verbs are followed by:
- an object
- then an infinitive
Structure
verb + object + to + verb
Common Verbs
- ask
- tell
- want
- advise
- encourage
- invite
Examples
- “She asked me to help.”
- “They told us to wait.”
- “I want you to listen carefully.”
- “He encouraged her to apply.”
No Object: -ing; Object: To-Infinitive
With advise, allow, and permit, use a gerund when there is no object, but use an object + to-infinitive when you say who does the action:
- “The doctor advised taking the medicine.” / “The doctor advised me to take the medicine.”
- “They allow smoking outside.” / “They allow visitors to smoke outside.”
- “The rules permit parking here.” / “The rules permit residents to park here.”
With recommend, use a gerund without an object or a that clause: “I recommend taking the bus.” / “I recommend that you take the bus.” Do not use recommend someone to do something.
Preposition + Gerund
After a preposition, use -ing. Common patterns include apologise for, insist on, succeed in, accuse someone of, look forward to, and object to.
- “She apologised for being late.”
- “They insisted on paying.”
- “He succeeded in finding a job.”
- “They accused him of cheating.”
- “I look forward to seeing you.”
- “She objected to working late.”
In look forward to and object to, to is a preposition, so use -ing, not an infinitive.
This lesson uses British spelling: apologise. American English usually spells it apologize.
Start, Begin, and Continue
Some verbs can be followed by both forms with little or no difference in meaning.
Common Verbs
- start
- begin
- continue
Examples
- “It started raining.”
- “It started to rain.”
These verbs usually allow both forms without an important meaning change.
With a continuous form, use the to-infinitive: “It’s starting to rain,” not “It’s starting raining.” With stative verbs, begin/start + to-infinitive is usually more natural: “I began to understand the problem.”
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Like, Love, and Hate
With like/love/hate, both forms are possible, but -ing often emphasises enjoyment and to + verb a habit or choice: “I like swimming” (the activity) / “I like to swim before work” (a routine). American English often prefers the to-infinitive in this pattern. After would, use only the infinitive: “I’d love to come,” not “I’d love coming.”
Verb + Gerund OR Infinitive (Meaning Changes)
Some verbs change meaning depending on the pattern.
| Verb | + -ing | + to-infinitive |
|---|---|---|
| stop | “He stopped smoking.” (quit) | “He stopped to smoke.” (paused in order to smoke) |
| remember | “I remember meeting her.” (memory) | “Remember to call me.” (do not forget) |
| forget | “I’ll never forget meeting her.” (memory) | “I forgot to call.” (failed to do it) |
| try | “Try restarting it.” (experiment) | “She tried to open it.” (made an effort) |
| regret | “I regret telling him.” (sorry about past action) | “We regret to inform you...” (formal bad news) |
| mean | “It means working late.” (involve) | “I meant to call.” (intend) |
| go on | “He went on talking.” (continued) | “He went on to explain.” (next action) |
| need | “The car needs washing.” (needs to be washed) | “I need to wash the car.” (I must wash it) |
Verb + Bare Infinitive
Some verbs are followed by the base verb without “to”.
This often happens after:
- modal verbs
- let
- make
- had better
- would rather
- why not
Structure: Modals
modal + base verb
Examples
- “You must leave now.”
- “She can speak French.”
- “You had better leave now.”
- “I would rather stay at home.”
- “Why not take the bus?”
Structure: Causative and Permission Verbs
make/let/have + object + base verb
Examples
- “She made me apologise.”
- “Let him speak.”
- “I had the mechanic check the brakes.”
In the passive, make takes to: “I was made to apologise.” We do not normally make a passive with let; say “I was allowed to leave.”
Perception Verbs and Help
With see, hear, watch, and feel, use a bare infinitive for a complete action and -ing for an action in progress: “I saw him cross the road.” / “I saw him crossing the road.” Help takes both: “He helped me carry / to carry it.”
Common Errors
- ❌ “I suggested him to go.” → ✅ “I suggested going.” / “I suggested that he should go.”
- ❌ “I recommend to take the bus.” → ✅ “I recommend taking the bus.”
- ❌ “Avoid to make mistakes.” → ✅ “Avoid making mistakes.”
Easy Way to Remember
Different verbs “choose” different grammar patterns.
- verb + -ing: enjoy, avoid → “I enjoy reading.”
- verb + to-infinitive: decide, hope → “We decided to stay.”
- verb + object + to-infinitive: tell, encourage → “They told us to wait.”
- verb + preposition + -ing: apologise for, insist on → “She apologised for being late.”
- modal + base verb: must/can → “You must leave now.”
- make/let/have + object + base verb: make/let/have → “She made me apologise.”
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Last updated October 14, 2026