Verb Patterns
1. What are Verb Patterns?
Look at the picture below.
When you look at it carefully, you notice that the colours are repeated regularly. This kind of repeated
regularity makes a pattern. We find patterns everywhere, even in nature.
A pattern is 'a characteristic which is repeated, and is predictable. It is an arrangement of repeated
parts.'
One of the patterns in language is a ‘verb chain’. Sometimes we use two verbs together, one after the
other. When we do this, the form of the second verb depends on which verb we used first.
In each of the example sentences below, we can see that 'expect' is followed by the same form of verb.
Teachers were expected to control when, where and how learning took place (3).
We can expect to feel vulnerable at first in our new role (13).
Any verb following ‘expect’ is always in the form of 'to + V'.
(We call this the ‘to’ infinitive)
expect to find expect to see expect to do expect to hear
Other verbs form a different pattern, for example:
Practise encouraging (and enjoying) student-to-student communication (7).
'Practise' is followed by the 'V+ing' form of verb (We sometimes call this a gerund).
practise encouraging practise enjoying practise doing
In the next section we will look at some common verbs and the verb patterns they form.
2. Verbs followed by ‘V+ing’
Verb 'V+ing' (Gerund)
adore
can’t stand
consider
dislike doing
don’t mind seeing
enjoy studying
finish teaching
hate
like
look forward to
love
prefer
Some examples from the text:
Put yourself in their shoes, and imagine learning in different and exciting ways (12).
It is difficult to begin working in a less traditional way, not only for the teacher, but also for the students
(14).
They will resist changing their classroom lifestyle (from sentence 15)
With CLIL, we have to try to change our approach, to consider letting go of the reins in class, and to face
losing our central role (4).
3. Verbs followed by ‘to + V’
Verb + 'to + V' (the 'to' infinitive)
agree
appear
choose
decide
expect
forget
help to do
hope to go
learn to come
manage to see
need to study
offer
promise
refuse
seem
want
would hate
would like
would love
would prefer
Some examples from the text:
We need to pass some control over to our learners (5).
Agree to adopt student-generated rules on acceptable classroom behaviour (9).
Sometimes, they will prefer to sit back, listen to the teacher and be told what to do next! (17)
... they have the opportunity to adapt gradually to working independently (15).
4. Verbs followed by ‘to + Object + V’
Some verbs are followed by an Object and then ‘to + V’:
Verb + Object + 'to + V' (the 'to' infinitive)
advise
allow
ask
beg me
encourage him to do
expect her to go
help us to come
need them to learn
invite someone to study
order everybody
remind anyone
tell no one
want
would hate
would like
would love
would prefer
Some examples from the text:
Allow students to help decide on content and language assessment criteria (8)
Decide to let students ask for new language when they need it, rather than teaching in advance the
words you think they will need (10)
Stop expecting all students to work in the same way: advise them to recognise and develop their own
learning styles and strategies (11)
5. Verbs followed by 'Object + V' (the plain infinitive)
make let help
Examples:
Let him come
Let her go
Make him stay
Make them do
Help can be followed by either ‘V’ (the plain infinitive) or ‘to + V’ (the 'to' infinitive).
Help us do this.
Help us to do this.
Example from the text:
In Unit Six, we saw that a major aim of CLIL teaching is to help students to work independently, to solve
problems and to develop their own knowledge and skills (1).
This could also be written:
Help students work
Help students solve
Help students develop
6. Verbs followed by either ‘V+ing’ or ‘to + V’ with almost no change in meaning
Begin to eat Begin eating
Start to work Start working
Continue to speak Continue speaking
Sometimes we use like, dislike, hate, love, adore and prefer with ‘to + V’, but ‘V+ing’ is more usual.
Like skiing Like to ski
Prefer swimming Prefer to swim
7. Verbs followed by either 'V+ing' or ‘to + V’ BUT with a change in meaning
Remember:
When we think of our own school days, we probably remember being told exactly what to do, step by
step (2).
Remembering to take responsibility for their own learning, and to take the initiative in tackling
problems can be very hard (16).
In Sentence 2, 'remembering' refers to the past.
In Sentence 16, we are talking about remembering now, or in the future.
Remember + ' V+ing' refers to remembering a past event
Remember + 'to + V' refers to now or the future
Stop:
Stop expecting all students to work in the same way .... (11)
We should often stop to think about our learners’ needs.
In Sentence 11, stop expecting means halt the activity – stop worrying, stop talking, stop shouting
In the second sentence, stop to think means to break off whatever you are doing, in order to do
something else – in this case, to think about learner needs.
Stop + 'V+ing' means to cease an activity
Stop + 'to + V' means to cease all activity (often temporarily) in order to do something else
Try:
With CLIL, we have to try to change our approach ... (4).
Try to vary your approach ... (18)
Try connecting with students’ lives, and their needs and interests (6)
In the first two sentences (4) and (18), try + 'to + V' means ‘make an attempt'.
In Sentence 6, try + 'V+ing' is used to make a suggestion.
Try + 'V+ing' means ‘I suggest you do this'
Try + 'to +V' means ‘make an attempt to do this’
Go on:
.... go on believing that instilling learner autonomy will result in better learning! (18)
He went on to say that he was impressed.
Go on + 'V+ing' means ‘continue doing something’
Go on + 'to + V' means ‘move on to the next thing’
