Verbs +

Infinitive or -Ing
Verbs normally
followed by infinitive with to
• Verbs marked * can also be followed by that + clause.
*agree *demand hurry *pledge *swear
*appear deserve *learn *pretend *threaten
*arrang *expect long *promise *vow
e fail manage refuse want
attempt grow neglect *resolve *wish
ask hasten offer seek
choose *happen pay *seem
dare *hope *plan struggle
• Appear, (so) happen*decide
and seem are only used impersonally with that + clause.

It appears that I've made a mistake.

It so happens that he is my brother!
It seems that Mary is going to win.
• Want can be used colloquially with -ing, and has a similar meaning to need.
The car wants cleaning.
Verbs followed by infinitive without to
• Help can be used with or without to.

/ helped George (to) carry the bags.

• Make, and expressions with make

They made me leave.

We shall have to make do.
In the passive, to is used.
/ was made to leave

• Let and expressions with let

They didn't let me leave.

Let me go!
Verbs followed by an object and to
• Verbs marked * can also be followed by that + clause.

*advise employ *order train

assist enable *persuade urge
beg encourage select *warn
bribe instruct send
command invite *teach
dare lead *tell

• Dare can be used without to when there is no object.

They dared him to jump.

I didn't dare (to) say anything.
How dare you speak like that to me!
Verbs normally followed by -ing
• Verbs marked * can also be followed by that + clause.

*appreciate face *suggest

avoid *fancy it's no good/use
contemplate finish feel like
delay involve give up
*deny *mention keep (on)
detest mind leave off
dislike miss look forward to
endure postpone put off
enjoy practise can't stand
escape *resent spend/waste time
excuse risk
• Appreciate is often followed by possessive + -ing.
I appreciate your trying to help
• Involve has an impersonal subject.
Being an athlete involves regular training.
Verbs followed by the gerund or infinitive
without a significant change in meaning
Examples: Martha hates to go to bed early.
Martha hates going to bed early.

begin
can't bear
can't stand
continue
hate
like
love
prefer
propose
start
Verbs followed by the gerund or the
infinitive with a significant change in meaning
Forget

-I've almost forgotten meeting him. (= At present, I can hardly remember.)

-I almost forgot to meet him. (= I almost didn't remember to meet him.)

Go on

-Jack went on writing novels. (= Jack continued to write novels.)

-Carrie went on to write novels. (= Carrie ended some other activity and began to
write novels.)

Quit

-Ella quit working at Sloan's. (= She isn't working there anymore.)

-Frank quit to work at Sloan's. (= He quit another job in order to work at Sloan's.)
Regret

-I regret telling you I'd take the job. (= I'm sorry that I said I would take it.)
-I regret to tell you that I can't take the job. (= I'm telling you now that I can't take the job, and I'm
sorry I can't take it.)

Remember

-Velma remembered writing to Bill. (= Velma remembered the previous activity of writing to Bill.)
-Melissa remembered to write to Bill. (= Melissa didn't forget to write to Bill. She wrote him.)

Stop

-Hank stopped eating. (= He stopped the activity of eating.)

-Bruce stopped to eat. (= He stopped doing something else in order to eat.)

Try

-Martin tried skiing. (= Martin sampled the activity of skiing.)

-Helen tried to ski. (= Helen attempted to ski but didn't succeed.)