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Go through this list of verbs:
Stop, finish, delay, enjoy, mind, suggest, fancy, imagine, regret, admit, deny, avoid, consider, involve, practise, miss, postpone and risk. If these verbs are followed by another verb, the structure is usually verb + -ing: – Stop talking. I do not fancy going out this evening. Have you ever considered going into private practice. I can’t imagine John being a pilot. When I am on holiday, I enjoy the luxury of not having to get up early.
The following expressions also take –ing: give up (=stop), go on (=continue), carry on (= continue), put off (=postpone), keep or keep on (= do something continuously or repeatedly). –Are you going to give up drinking alcohol? They kept on murmuring when the head was giving his speech. Note the passive form (being done/being seen/being told what to do.
You cannot formally use the infinitive (to do/to dance etc.) after these verbs and expressions: – I enjoy dancing. (not ‘to dance’). Would you mind closing the door? (not ‘to close’).
When you are talking about finished actions, you can also say having done/having stolen etc. But it is unnecessary to use this form. You can also use the simple –ing form for finished actions: He admitted stealing (or having stolen) the money. They now regret getting (or having got) married.
With some verbs such as (especially admit, deny, regret and suggest) you can also use that . . . structure. He admitted that he was party of the robbers. He denied that he had stolen the money. (or denied stealing). Shirley suggested they went to the cinema.
In this exercise you have to complete the sentences with these verbs: try, steal, meet, look, write, make, be knocked, wash, play, eat, splash, go, drive, and take. The first has been done for you: Do you fancy playing pool this afternoon? Could you please stop . . . so much noise? I don’t enjoy . . . letters. Does your job involve . . . a lot of people? I considered . . . the job but in the end I decided against it. If you use the shower, try and avoid . . . water on the floor.
Mike gave up . . . to find a job in Britain and decided to emigrate. Have you finished . . . your hair yet? The phone rang while Busi was having her dinner. She didn’t answer it; she just carried on . . . He admitted . . . the car but denied . . . it dangerously.
Why do you keep on … at me like that? They had to postpone . . . away because their son was ill. If you walk into the road without looking, you risk . . .
Verb + infinitive: agree, refuse, promise, threaten, offer, attempt, manage, fail, decide, plan, arrange, hope, appear, seem, pretend, afford, forget, learn (how) dare and tend. If these verbs are followed by another verb, the structure is usually verb + to + infinitive.
As it was late, we decided to take a taxi home. I like Jeremy but I think he tends to talk too much. How old were you when you learnt to drive? (or learnt how to drive’). They agreed to lend me some money when I told them the position I was in. Note these examples with the negative not to . . . – We decided not to go out because of the weather. He pretended not to see me as he passed me in the street.
With other important verbs you cannot use the infinitive. For example think and suggest – Are you thinking of buying a car? (not thinking to buy’). Loveson suggested going to the cinema. (not ‘suggested’ to go). There is a continuous infinitive (to be doing) and a perfect infinitive (to have done). We use these especially after seem, appear and pretend. – I pretended to be reading. (=I pretended that I was reading) You seem to have lost weight. (= it seems that you have lost weight).
After dare you can use the infinitive with or without to: -I wouldn’t dare to ask him or I wouldn’t dare ask him. But after daren’t you must use the infinitive without to. –I daren’t tell him what happened. (not daren’t to tell’).
After the following verbs you can use a question word (what/where/how) + to + infinitive: ask, decide, know, remember, forget, explain and understand. We asked how to get to the nearest main road. Have you decided where to go for your retreat? Henry explained (to me) how to change the wheel of the car. I don’t know whether to go to the wedding or not.
These structures can help you in your sentence construction and better writing. For views link with [email protected]/ sms to 0772113207.
