Verb + Verb patterns
In English, when a verb is followed by another verb, the second verb
may be an infinitive (to go), bare infinitive (go) or -ing form (going).
It all depends on the first verb. Let's see all those different patterns.
En inglés, cuando un verbo va seguido de otro verbo, el segundo
verbo puede ser un infinitivo (to go), un infinitivo simple (go) o la forma
-ing (going). Todo depende del primer verbo. Veamos todos esos
patrones diferentes
VERB + VERB PATTERNS
V + INFINITIVE
Most normal verbs use this construction.
I want to go
They decided to stay at home
They need to buy a bigger car
V + BARE INFINITIVE
Special verbs (except Be, Have and Ought to): do, can/could,
will/would, shall/should, may/might, must
Josh can speak French
I must go
She will come soon
V + -ING
Verbs of likes and dislikes: like, dislike, hate, detest, love, prefer,
enjoy...
Ken likes reading comics
I enjoy listening to music
She hates walking in the rain
I love singing in the shower
In modern English these verbs can also be used with infinitive with no
real change of meaning
I like to dance tango
She loves to swim
But if these verbs are used with WOULD, you must always use the
infinitive
I'd like to tell you a secret (not I'd like telling you...)
She would prefer to live in a bigger house
Other verbs: finish, mind, keep, practice, go on, consider,
suggest ...
Would you mind opening the window?
When you finish studying, come with me
She suggested going to Cancun for the summer
VERB + OBJECT + VERB
V + O + inf
want, ask, invite, order, tell, teach, advise, allow, beg, cause,
command, encourage, expect, force, need, order, recommend,
remind ....
I want you to go
She invited me to have dinner
I told you not to do it
She taught him to do it the right way
V + O + bare inf
let, make, (help)
Please, let me go
She made me do it
I’ll help you move the table (also: I'll help you to move the table)
V + O + -ing
The object of the first verb is the subject of the following -ing form. In
this case we can also use a possessive adjective.
excuse, forget, forgive, etc.
Excuse me interrupting you / Excuse my interrupting you
VERBS USING 2 PATTERNS
V + -ing / inf
No change of meaning: begin, start, continue
It began to rain = It began raining
Change of meaning: remember, forget, regret / stop / try / advise,
allow, permit, forbid
Remember, forget, regret
Look to the future: Remember to post this letter when you get there
(=don’t forget to do it in the future)
Look to the past: I remember buying my first bicycle when I was 8
(= it's a memory from the past)
Stop
End an action to do something different: He stopped to relax
Finish an action: He stopped driving because he was too tired
Try
Make an effort: He tried to open the door, but it was locked
Make an experiment: He tried speaking to her in German, but she
still didn't answer
Advise, allow, permit, forbid
With no object: I advise getting up very early
With an object: I advise you to get up very early
V + O + -ing / bare inf
Verbs of the senses: see, watch, hear, listen, feel, smell, notice...
If we use it with a bare infinitive, the action is perceived complete, from
beginning to end. If we use it with -ing then we only perceived a
fragment of the action, we saw it happening, but not from beginning to
end.
I saw them talk angrily, but nothing happened
I saw them talking angrily, so I left the room. I could still hear them
from the kitchen.
LISTS OF VERBS AND EXAMPLES
Don't try to memorize this, use it simply as reference.
-ING: Verb + -ing / Verb + O + -ing
admit, avoid, delay, deny, detest, excuse (me/my), feel like, finish,
forgive (me/my), imagine, fancy, keep, mention, mind, miss, postpone,
practice, can't stand, can't help, suggest, look forward to, be used to,
give up, resent, resist, risk...
- He will never admit not knowing where Mickey Mouse lives
- You must avoid cutting your toe nails in bed
- I always delay buying my Christmas presents till after Christmas,
when it’s much cheaper
- Do you still deny having killed Roger Rabbit?
- I detest sitting on the plain with a neurotic scaredy cat
- He enjoys pulling his head out of the car window while driving
- Excuse my interrupting you... but is this your underwear?
- I don't feel like taking your mother for a walk just now
- When you finish crying I’ll give you a good reason to continue
- please, forgive his talking too much, he’s a teacher
- I can't help thinking of her sweet rosy honey lips night and day
- Imagine having all Barbie’s complements, wouldn’t it be heaven on
earth?
- keep walking and never look back or you’ll turn into a statue of salt
- She didn't mention having thrown your lovely child out of the window
- Do you mind getting your scruffy finger out of my eye? It hurts, you
know?
- I miss feeling her sweet hands stroking all the length of my back at
the cinema
- You mustn't postpone writing to him or he’ll forget he’s got a girlfriend
back in Spain
- I have to practise frying eggs, I’m terrible at that
- I can't stand people vomiting on the bus
- I suggest picking our noses to kill the time
- She’s looking forward to getting old so that she can have natural
white hair
- I'm used to not smoking when I’m swimming
Verb + object + infinitive
advise, allow, ask, expect, forbid, force, invite, like, need, order,
persuade, prefer, recommend, request, remind, teach, tell, want,
warn...
- I advise you not to touch a sleeping lion
- They allowed us to wear red socks
- He asked her to jump out of the window
- People expect him to tell the best jokes
- I forbid you to look at me in the eyes
- They forced me to wear that horrible handbag again
- She invited me to go to help her with the washing, which I declined
- I like people to suck their fingers
- I need you to scratch my back, please
- He ordered me to lick his boots
- John persuaded Mary to paint the house dark red
- I prefer you to do it yourself
- The police recommended people to be good and nice
- He requested me not to insult him in front of his dear dog
- I reminded her to take an umbrella just in case
- My father taught me to spit with elegance
- He told her to call me and she told him to mind his business
- I want him to go
- He warned us not to go out with him because he was a one-track
mind
