Essential English Grammar: Verb Structures Explained

Causative Structures

Have something done: Arrange for someone else to do something for you (e.g., She had it repaired).

Get something done: Used with the same meaning as 'have' or to describe something happening to someone (e.g., Have you ever had your bike stolen?).

Verbs Followed by -ing (Gerunds)

Common verbs: enjoy, mind, suggest, stop, finish, postpone, consider, admit, deny, avoid, risk, imagine, fancy, give up, put off, go on, carry on, keep.

• Example: They denied doing anything wrong; I don't fancy going.
• Passive form: Being done/seen/kept (e.g., I don’t mind being kept waiting).
• Finished actions: Having done/stolen (e.g., They admitted stealing the money).

Verbs Followed by the Infinitive (to)

Common verbs: offer, agree, refuse, decide, plan, arrange, hope, manage, fail, deserve, afford, forget, promise, threaten, learn, seem, appear, tend, pretend, claim.

• Dare: Can be used with or without 'to'.
• Question words: After verbs like ask, decide, know, remember, forget, explain, learn, understand, wonder, you can use a question word (what, whether, how) + to (e.g., I don’t know whether to apply).

Verb + Object + Infinitive (to)

Common verbs: want, expect, ask, beg, help, mean, would like, prefer, tell, order, remind, warn, force, invite, encourage, persuade, teach, get, enable.

• Example: Would you like me to go?
• Passive: I was warned not to touch.
• Advise and allow: Two possible structures (e.g., They don’t allow parking vs. I wouldn’t advise anybody to stay).

Make and Let

Structure: Verb + object + infinitive without 'to' (e.g., I made him promise that he...).

Verbs Followed by -ing or Infinitive

• -ing only: admit, avoid, consider, deny, enjoy, fancy, finish, imagine, keep, mind, postpone, risk, stop, suggest.
• Infinitive only: afford, agree, arrange, decide, deserve, fail, forget, hope, learn, manage, offer, plan, promise, refuse, threaten.
• Either: begin, start, continue, intend, bother.

Special Cases

• Try: 'Try to' means attempt to do something. 'Try + -ing' means to do something as a test (e.g., You should try one).
• Need: 'Need to' (it is necessary to do); 'Something needs doing' (it needs to be done).
• Help: Can be used with or without 'to' (e.g., Can you help me?).
• Can't help: Followed by -ing (e.g., I can't stop myself doing it).
• Like, love, hate: Can use -ing or 'to'. Use -ing when the situation already exists (e.g., He likes living there).
• Would like/love/hate/prefer: Always followed by 'to'.
• Would you mind: Followed by -ing.

Prefer and Would Rather

• Prefer: I prefer something; I prefer doing something (to doing something else); I prefer to do something (rather than something else).
• Would prefer: Would you prefer tea or coffee? I would prefer to drive.
• Would rather: Followed by infinitive without 'to' (e.g., I would rather drive).
• Would rather + subject: Followed by past tense (e.g., I'd rather you drove).