Verb Patterns
Verb Patterns
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Contents:
1. STATIVE VERBS
t.m 2
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2. SAY & TELL 5
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3. DO VS. MAKE 6
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STATIVE VERBS
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I’m PLAYING chess with my friend. She HEARD some music playing.
I PLAY chess with my friends.
What are you EATING for dinner? I’ve KNOWN him since 1999.
What do you EAT for dinner? I‘ve been knowing him since 1999.
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How long have you been DRIVING? It will SMELL of wild flowers.
How long have you DRIVEN? It will be smelling of wild flowers.
STATIVE VERBS:
Measures /
Perception /
Emotions Opinion Possession States/ Other
Senses
Qualities
appear desire agree belong consist concern
feel* dislike assume have* measure* forget
hear enjoy* believe include contain imagine
look* envy consider involve cost know
resemble fear deserve owe depend mean
see* hate disagree own deserve notice
seem hope doubt possess involve realize
smell* like feel* (=have exist recognize
sound love an opinion) fit remember
taste mind find (= hold understand
need consider) matter
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prefer guess measure
promise
regret
imagine(=ha
ve an
t.m weigh*
(=have
of
surprise opinion) weight)
want impress
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.p
wish matter
mean
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remember
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suppose
think*
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*There are some few verbs that can be both action and state verbs depending on their
meaning.
Seeing = meeting with / have a relationship with See = see with your eyes / understand
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She’s LOOKING after the children.
(taking care of)
Smelling/ Tasting =when a person uses their nose or
mouth (the action of)
t.m Smell / Taste: has a certain smell or taste
of
He’s SMELLING the roses. My hands SMELL of onion.
The chef's TASTING the soup. It TASTES like real fruit.
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I’m THINKING about getting a new job. I THINK that’s a great plan!
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I’ve been FEELING unusually sad. I FEEL that the information is not correct.
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SOMEONE SAY SOMETHING
DO VS. MAKE
We use DO when…
We talk about an activity without saying exactly what it is:
DO something!
What is Vivian DOING?
What did you DO yesterday?
My secretary DID everything that I asked her to DO.
Could you DO something for me?
Jim doesn’t know what to DO.
What can I DO for you?
They like DOING nothing.
What are you DOING this evening?
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I’ll DO what I can to help them.
DO as you wish!
I have nothing to DO.
t.m
r of
We talk about work and chores:
.p
x
Make an OFFER (offer)
Make a PROMISE
t.m
(promise)
of
We also use MAKE with these NOUNS:
Make an IMPRESSION Make a VISIT Make a SPEECH
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REMEMBER TO VW SOMETHING
REMIND t.m
SOMEONE TO VW SOMETHING
r of
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w
ABILITY.
Study the following examples:
KNOW + NOUN
KNOW + HOW + TO + VW
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We’ tried to avoid ANSWERING their questions.
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attempt
be
bear
expect
fail
forget
t.m neglect
offer
plan
tend
threaten
trouble
of
beg happen prefer try
r
VERB TO VW/Ving
VERB OBJECT VW
x
He will let HIM go.
His dad made HER cry. t.m
of
feel help make see
r
VERB OBJECT TO VW
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CAUSATIVE VERBS
A CAUSATIVE VERB expresses a cause. Causative verbs are used when
one thing or person causes another thing or person to do something.
x
She MAKES me COME = She HAS me COME = she GETS me TO COME
t.m
= She LETS me COME = She HELPS me COME = She HELPS me TO
COME
of
I MAKE the computer WORK = I HAVE the computer WORKED = I
GET the computer WORKED = I LET the computer WORK
r
.p
w
MAKE
w
w
MAKE SOMEONE VW
MAKE SOMETHING VW
HAVE
HAVE SOMEONE VW
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GET
t.m
r of
GET SOMEONE TO VW
.p
LET
LET SOMEONE VW
LET SOMETHING VW
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HELP
t.m
r of
HELP SOMEONE TO VW/VW
.p
w
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S + RECOMMEND + that + S + VW + C
The teacher will RECOMMEND that everybody BE on time.
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The teacher will RECOMMEND that everybody DO the homework.
t.m
The RECOMMENDATION is that everybody DO the homework.
of
I will RECOMMEND that you WORK better.
r
The RECOMMENDATION is that he WORK better.
.p
w
Notice that the main verb in the clause is always in VERB WORD form.
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It is IMPORTANT THAT everybody STUDY harder.
It was NECESSARY THAT I BREAK the window.
It will be IMPERATIVE THAT we FINISH on time.
t.m
of
Notice that the main verb in the clause is always in VERB WORD form.
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.p
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ask
demand
desire
insist
prefer
S propose that S VW C
recommend
request
require
suggest
urge
demand
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insistence
The
t.m
preference
proposal
BE that S VW C
of
recommendation
request
r
.p
requirement
suggestion
w
essential
w
imperative
It is/was /will be that S VW C
w
important
necessary
BUT
essential
imperative
It is/was /will be to VW C
important
necessary
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Verb -ing To VW
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t.m
TO SWIM is very healthy. (El nadir es muy saludable.)
SWIMMING is very healthy. (La natación es muy saludable])
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PARTICIPLES AS ADJECTIVES
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We can often use the -ing and -ed forms of a verb as ADJECTIVES.
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IMPERATIVES
The indicative mood is used to make affirmative and negative
statements as well as to ask questions.
Study the following examples:
I will travel next weekend.
We play soccer professionally.
Has she arrived to Houston?
They won’t buy our car.
We are tired.
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Study the following examples:
Sit down! (order)
Move on! (order)
t.m
of
First close and the turn on. (instructions)
r
Walk down for three blocks then turn left and cross the
.p
street.(directions)
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WISH
Wish is used TO SAY WHAT WE WOULD LIKE:
I WISH TO VW
I wish to finish
I WISH WOULD VW
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I wish
I WISH WOULD VW
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I wish I had
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It is used TO SAY HOW WE HAD DESIRED THAT SOMETHING HAPPEN.
We lament it didn’t happen:
I WISH NOUN
t.m HAD Vpp
of
I wish Mary had come
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.p
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CONDITIONALS
1ST CONDITIONAL: This conditional usually refers to the future. There is no hesitation
involved.
This pattern is used to express a future idea that is practical and possible.
Study and compare the following examples:
If I STUDY, I WILL PASS my exam.
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If I DON’T STUDY, I WON’T PASS my exam.
If I STUDY, I WON’T FAIL in my exam.
If I DON’T STUDY, I WILL FAIL in my exam.
If it RAINS, we WILL NOT GO.
t.m
of
If it DOESN’T RAIN, we WILL GO.
r
If they WIN, they WILL BE the champions.
.p
2ND CONDITIONAL: This conditional usually refers to unreal events in the present.
This pattern is used to express an idea that is contrary to fact in the present.
Study and compare the following examples:
If I HAD MONEY, I WOULD BUY a house.
If she HAD time, she WOULD STUDY more.
If I WERE you, I WOULD BUY this PC.
If he WERE sensible, he WOULDN’T DO that.
If they PRACTICED more, they WOULD DO it better.
If he DIDN’T WORK, he WOULD BE ABLE TO come.
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3RD COMDITIONAL: This conditional usually refers to unreal events in the past.
This pattern is used to express an idea that is contrary to fact in the past:
Study and compare the following examples:
If I HADN’T DRUNK too much, I WOULDN’T HAVE CRASHED my car.
(I drank too much)
If I HAD HAD the money, I WOULD HAVE BOUGHT it.
(I didn’t have money)
If it HADN’T SNOWED, they WOULD HAVE COME.
(It snowed)
If I HAD KNOWN you were coming, I WOULD HAVE WAITED for you.
(I didn’t know)
If he HADN’T BEEN sick, he WOULD HAVE GONE with us.
(I was sick)
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t.m
r of
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w
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