VERB PATTERNS

INFINITIVE
Form

active passive

to-infinitive to do to be done

bare infinitive do be done

continuous to be doing, be doing /

perfect to have done, have done to have been done, have

been done

perfect continuous to have been doing, have /

been doing

Use

To-infinitive

1/ after certain verbs (afford, agree, aim, appear, attempt, ask, arrange, beg, begin,
care, choose, claim, consent, continue, dare, decide, demand, deserve, dislike, expect,
fail, forget, get, hesitate, hope, hurry, intend, learn, like, love, manage, mean, neglect,
need, offer, plan, prefer, prepare, pretend, proceed, promise, propose, refuse,
remember, seem, start, stop, struggle, swear, threaten, try, volunteer, wait, want, wish)
I refuse to say anything.

2/ to explain the purpose of an action

He stopped to buy some milk.

3/ after adjectives

This exercise is easy to do.

4/ after certain verbs + nouns or pronouns

I invited a friend  to attend the ceremony.

5/ after question words (what, where,…)

I don’t know what to do

Bare infinitive

1/ after modal verbs

He must have gone out.

2/ after make, let, help

She made us do more homework.

3/ after had better, would rather

You'd better leave now.

4/ after common verbs of perception (see, watch, hear, feel, sense )

I saw it happen.

GERUND
Form

The gerund always has the same function as a noun (although it looks like a verb).

active passive
simple gerund doing being done
perfect gerund having done having been done

Use

1/ after certain verbs (admit, advise, anticipate, acknowledge, appreciate, avoid,

bear, begin, complete, consider, defer, delay, deny, discuss, dislike, enjoy, entail, finish,
forget, hate, intend, involve, justify, keep, like, love, mention, mind, miss, postpone,
practice, prefer, quit, recall, recollect, recommend, regret, resent, resist, risk,
sanction, start, stop, suggest, tolerate, try)

He avoids meeting his boss.

I hate being lied to.

2/ as a subject in a sentence

Walking is good for our health.

3/ as the complement of the verb 'to be'

One of life's pleasures is having breakfast in bed.

4/ after prepositions

I look forward to hearing from you.

5/ after some expressions

I can't stand being  stuck in traffic jams.

It's no use trying to escape.
It might be worth phoning the station to check the time of the train.
She couldn't help falling in love with him.

PRACTICE

Fill in the correct form.

1. Mary enjoys ___________________ to music. ( listen)

2. I don’t mind ___________________ the washing up. ( do)

3. Irregular verbs are not easy ___________________ . ( remember)

4. Mathew is really good at ___________________ . (co ok)

5. She waited ___________________ a movie ticket. ( buy)

6. The doctor encouraged his patients ___________________ healthy food. ( eat)

7. My flat is easy ___________________ . ( find)

8. She is interested in ___________________ a doctor. ( become)

9. He is saving money ___________________ a new car. ( buy)

10. When I met her I couldn’t help ___________________ her. ( hug)

11. My favourite hobby is ___________________ . ( cook)

12. My father helped me ___________________ my homework. ( do)

13. I’m sick of ___________________ hamburgers every day. ( eat)

14. It is important ___________________ the net for more information. ( surf)

15. She advised me ___________________ a doctor as soon as possible. ( see)

16. I don’t feel like ___________________ English today. ( study)

17. Isabel got Mike ___________________ her car ( wash)

18. ___________________ sport every day is good for your health. ( do)

19. At last they decided ___________________ the apartment. ( rent)

20. I pretended ___________________ asleep. ( be)

21. Sheila stopped ___________________ hello to her friends. ( say)

22. It’s no use ___________________ over spilt milk. ( cry)

23. The following questions are easy ___________________ . ( answer)

24. She told us where ___________________ the necessary material. ( find)

25. Would you mind ___________________ this letter for me? ( post)

26. They suggested ___________________ by bus. ( travel)

27. We plan ___________________ to Europe this summer( go)

28. It was hard for her ___________________ smoking. ( quit)

29. We were all happy about _________________ the New Year in Vienna. ( celebrate)

30. It seems difficult ___________________ everything about the topic. ( know)

31. Just avoid ___________________ unnecessary mistakes. ( make)

32. Can you imagine ___________________ my car before we leave? ( finish)

33. We are used to ___________________ up early in the morning. ( get)

34. She enjoys ___________________ . ( paint)

35. I forgot ___________________ the door when I left. ( lock)

36. I regret ___________________ you that your application was rejected. ( inform)

37. We intend ___________________ you next spring. ( visit)

38. I decided ___________________ more often. ( exercise)

39. Mary keeps ___________________ about her problems. ( talk)

40. Ireland doesn’t allow ___________________ in bars. ( smoke)

41. Nancy seemed ___________________ disappointed. ( be)

42. I can’t bear ___________________ so much responsibility. ( have)

43. She is fond of ___________________ picnics. ( have)

44. She promised ___________________ smoking. ( stop)

45. They urge their citizens ___________________ more waste. ( recycle)

46. John is thinking about ___________________ abroad. ( study)

47. She considered ___________________ to New York. ( move)

48. The aquarium needs ___________________ . ( clean)

49. Tom agrees ___________________ me. ( help)

50. She warned him ___________________ late. ( not be)

Gerund or Infinitive – Fill in the correct form.

1. Don't let them ___________________ ( cross) that dangerous road on their own.
2. What about ___________________ ( have) a last drink ?
3. They accused me of ___________________ ( break) the window.
4. They'd rather ___________________ ( go) to Tuscany than to Ireland.
5. There was a very good reason for ___________________ ( not believe) in what he
said.
6. I don't know what ___________________ ( believe) anymore.
7. Remember ___________________ (phone) Tom tomorrow - OK I won't forget.
8. The teacher watched the pupil ___________________ ( cheat).
9. Why not ___________________ (spend) our holiday in Florida this year ?
10. She is always the last ___________________ ( arrive)
11. Most teachers insist on their pupils ___________________ ( do) the homework.
12. She has often made me ___________________ ( cry).
13. I expect ___________________ ( hear) from you by Monday.
14. It's no use ___________________ ( pretend) to like her food.
15. How old were you when you learnt ___________________ ( drive)?
16. I don't mind ___________________ ( walk) home but I'd rather
___________________ (get) a taxi.
17. I can't make a decision. I keep ___________________ ( change) my mind.
18. We had to keep him from ___________________ ( fall) off the cliff.
19. He had made his decision and refused ___________________ ( change) his mind.
20. It was a good holiday. I enjoyed ___________________ ( be) by the sea.
21. Did I really tell you I was unhappy? I don't remember ___________________
(say) that.
22. The water here is not very good. I'd avoid ___________________ ( drink) it if I
were you.
23. I pretended ___________________ ( be) interested in the conversation.
24. I got up and looked out of the window ___________________ ( see) what the
weather was like.
25. I have a friend who claims ___________________ ( be) able to speak 5 languages.
26. I like ___________________ (think) carefully about things before
___________________ (make) a decision.
27. Steve used ___________________ (be) a footballer. He had to stop
___________________ (play) because of an injury.
28. How do you ___________________ ( make) this machine work ? - I'm not sure.
Try ___________________ ( press) the button and see what happens !
29. What do you advise me ___________________ ? ( do)
30. They intend ___________________ a new house next year. ( buy)