VERB PATTERNS

THERE ARE TWO FORMS OF THE INFINITIVE, THE FULL (TO + VERB) AND BARE INFINITIVE (WITHOUT TO)

WE USE THE FULL INFINITIVE

1. AFTER VERBS SUCH AS : CHOOSE, DECIDE, FORGET, PROMISE, MANAGE, NEED, HELP, HOPE, TRY, WANT, ADVISE, AGREE, EXPECT, OFFER, REFUSE, SEEM, PLAN, ARRANGE, LEARN, WOULD LIKE, WOULD LOVE

He refused to answer my question

My brother learned to drive when he was 15.

2. AFTER IT+ BE + ADJECTIVE SUCH AS NICE, DIFFICULT

It is difficult to explain It is nice to see you again

3. AFTER THE ADJECTIVES: AFRAID, SURPRISED, FREE, HAPPY, READY, SORRY, PLEASED, GLAD.

I am surprised to hear that. Are you afraid to ask him?

4. AFTER TOO + ADJECTIVE AND ADJECTIVE + ENOUGH

It’s too cold to go outside Joe isn’t old enough to vote

5. TO EXPRESS PURPOSE

I went to the florist ‘s to buy some flowers

6. AFTER QUESTIONS WORDS (WHO, HOW, WHAT, ETC) MOST TIMES IN INDIRECT QUESTIONS.

Do you know how to get there? Can you show me how to use this machine?

I don’t know where to go.

WE USE THE BARE INFINITIVE

2. AFTER MODAL VERBS (CAN, MUST, COULD, WILL, WOULD, SHOULD, MAY, MIGHT)

Will you stop talking? You must visit the doctor today. You can go home now

3. AFTER THE VERBS LET AND MAKE (IN THE ACTIVE VOICE)

She makes me study all the time. Don’t let him go.

My parents let me have a party for my birthday last month.

ING FORMS

4. AFTE CERTAIN VERBS: LIKE, LOVE, ENJOY, HATE, FINISH, STOP, PREFER, SUGGEST, REMEMBER, ETC

Helen likes watching old films on TV.

NOTE: WE OFTEN USE THE VERB GO + ING FOR SPORTS AND ACTIVITIES.

I go swimming every day I go shopping on weekends

2. AFTER CERTAIN EXPRESSIONS: IT’S WORTH, HOW/ WHAT ABOUT…?

I LOOK FORWARD TO, I CAN’T STAND, I FEEL LIKE , DON’T MIND.

I look forward to seeing you. I feel like going to the movies

3. AFTER PREPOSITIONS:

I am interested in painting I am tired of going to work by bus every morning

5. AS A SUBJECT OF A VERB

Smoking is a bad habit Walking is a good form of exercise.

FULL INFINITIVE OR THE ING FORM

AFTER THE VERBS START, BEGIN, CONTINUE, LIKE, LOVE, PREFER AND HATE.

H e started to write / writing his speech last night

THE PASSIVE VOICE

The passive voice is formed with the verb TO BE + PAST PARTICIPLE of the main verb.

USE:

1. When the person who carries out the action is unknown, unimportant or obvious from context.

The bread is baked every morning. (it obvious that the baker bakes the bread.)

2. When the action itself is more important than the person who carries it out, as in news headlines, newspaper articles, formal notices, instructions, advertisements, etc.

A man was attacked last night.

TO CHANGE A SENTENCE FROM THE ACTIVE TO THE PASSIVE

- The object of the active sentence becomes the subject in the passive sentence.

- The active verb remains in the same tense, but changes into a passive form.

- The subject of the active sentence becomes the agent, and is either introduced with the preposition by or is omitted.

Mary cleans the house The house is cleaned by Mary

ACTIVE Subject Verb Object

Greg built a house

PASSIVE Subject Verb Agent

A house was built by Greg

PASSIVE VOICE IN THE PRESENT SIMPLE

Subject + am, is, are + past participle + agent (optional)

The letters are typed by Sue.

PASSIVE VOICE IN THE PAST SIMPLE

Subject + was, were + past participle + agent (optional)

The letters were typed by Sue

CONDITIONAL SENTENCES

Conditional sentences consists of two parts: the IF-CLAUSE (Hypothesis) and the MAIN CLAUSE (Result)

CONDITIONAL SENTENCES TYPE 1

IF + PRESENT SIMPLE, WILL, CAN, MUST, MAY, MIGHT + BARE INFINITIVE If you train hard, you may win the game

IF + PRESENT SIMPLE, IMPERATIVE

If you finish early, call me.

When the IF-CLAUSE comes before the MAIN CLAUSE, the two clauses are separated with a comma.

If I have time today, I will answer my e-mails.

When the MAIN CLAUSE comes before the IF-CLAUSE, then no comma is necessary.

I will answer my e-mails if I have time today.

IF vs WHEN

We use IF to say that something might happen.

If you phone Kevin, will you ask him for directions? (You might phone Kevin).

We use WHEN to refer to the time that something will definitely happen.

When you phone Kevin, will you ask him for directions? (It is certain that you will phone him.)