VERBAL CONSTRUCTIONS
1. Verbs followed by the infinitive
• The to – infinitive is used:
• To express purpose
■Sam went to the bank to get some money.
• After certain verbs (agree, appear, decide, expect, hope, plan promise, refuse,
etc.).
■He promised to help us with the decorations.
• After adjectives which:
a. Describe feelings/emotions (happy, glad, etc.)
b. Express willingness/unwillingness (willing, eager, reluctant, anxious,
unwilling, etc.)
c. Refer to a person’s character (mean, clever, etc.)
d. And also with the adjectives lucky and fortunate.
• I was annoyed to hear that he had left.
• He is reluctant to help.
• You were clever not to believe them.
• After certain nouns and pronouns such as something, somewhere, anyone,
nothing, etc. Usually to show that something is necessary or possible.
■We’ve got a lot of homework to do.
■Take something to drink on the bus.
• After too/enough
■She is too young to stay out so late.
• With it + be + adjective/noun
■It is important to get there on time.
■It is her ambition to open her own shop.
• To talk about an unexpected event which can be unpleasant, usually with only.
■She came home to find her sister waiting for her.
■They rushed to the airport (only) to be informed that the flight had
been cancelled.
• After: be + the first/second, etc. / next/last/best, etc.
■He was the first to arrive.
• After verbs and expressions such as ask, learn, find out, wonder, want to know,
decide, explain, etc. when they are followed by question words (who, what,
where, how, etc.). ‘Why’ is followed by a subject + verb, not by an infinitive.
■He explained how to operate the machine.
■I don’t know why he left.
2. Verbs followed by the gerund.
• The –ing form is used:
• As a noun.
■Cycling is popular form of exercise.
• After certain verbs (admit, anticipate, appreciate, avoid, consider, continue,
delay, deny, discuss, enjoy, escape, excuse, fancy, finish, forgive, go (for
activities), imagine, involve, keep (= to continue), mention, mind, miss,
postpone, practice, prevent, quit, recall, recollect, report, resent, resist, risk,
save, stand, suggest, tolerate, understand, etc.).
■They considered moving abroad.
■He avoided answering my question.
• After: dislike, enjoy, hate, like, love, prefer to express general preference.
■She likes