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Verb + object + to + infinitive

List of verbs

We can use the following verbs + object + + infinitive: advise, allow, ask, beg, cause, convince, enable, encourage, expect, force, get (see get uses), help, intend, invite, mean, order, persuade, recommend, remind, take (time), teach, tell, warn. (See table with examples below)

like, need, want, would like, would hate

We can use verb + object + to + infinitive after verbs of volition (='wanting')

Verb + object + that clause
advise, persuade, remind, teach, tell, warn
We can also use the verbs advise, persuade, remind, teach, tell, warn + object + ( that) clause.
recommend
We can also use recommend + that clause.
advise, allow, recommend
After advise, allow, recommend we can use object + to + infinitive. But if we just use another verb after these verbs, this verb must take the - ing form.

Verb + for noun + to + infinitive
Arrange, ask, plan, wait
Some verbs, like a rrange, ask, plan or wait can be followed by for + noun + to + infinitive.

We can use the construction for + noun + to + infinitive after it's + adjective.

Verb + object + infinitive without to

let, make, help

We can use the verbs let, make, and help followed by object + infinitive without to.
be made to do
We say make + someone + infinitive (without to), but we say someone + be made + to + infinitive.

hear, listen, notice, see

We can use object + infinitive without to after the verbs hear, listen, notice, see to express a short or complete action (see B1+ verb patterns):

BUT we use object + -ing after hear, listen, notice, see, watch to express an action in progress, and action that is longer, and incomplete.

Verb + object + gerund

In this kind of construction, the object of the main verb is the subject of the verb in the gerund form. The following verbs can be used before object + gerund: dislike, hate, imagine, involve, keep, mind, prevent, not like, remember, resent, risk, stop (See table with examples below)

Tables with example sentences

Do the exercises

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Verb + object + infinitive/gerund - verb patterns - Test English

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List of verbs We can use the following verbs + object + + infinitive: advise, allow, ask, beg, cause, convince, enable, encourage, expect, force, get (see get uses), help, intend, invite, mean, order, persuade, recommend, remind, take (time), teach, tell, warn.

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Modal verbs

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Look at these examples to see how , can't, , mustn't, have to and don't have to are used.

You can put your shoes and coat over there.
You can't leave your bike there.
I must call the electrician and get that light fixed.
You mustn't worry about me. I'll be fine.
You have to have a licence to drive a car.
You don't have to have a licence to cycle on the roads.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Grammar test 1

Modals - permission and obligation: Grammar test 1

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

We often use verbs with modal meanings to talk about permission and obligation.

Permission

We often use can to ask for and give permission.

We also use could to ask for permission (but not to give it). Could is more formal and polite than can.

May is the most formal way to ask for and give permission.

Prohibition

We use can't and mustn't to show that something is prohibited - it is not allowed.

We use can't to talk about something that is against the rules, particularly when we didn't make the rules.

We use must not to talk about what is not permitted. It is common on public signs and notices informing people of rules and laws.

We use mustn't particularly when the prohibition comes from the speaker.

(Parent to child) You mustn't say things like that to your sister.
(Teacher to student) You mustn't be late to class.
I mustn't let that happen again.

Obligation

We use have to and must to express obligation. There is a slight difference between the way we use them.

Have to shows us that the obligation comes from outside the speaker.

We have to wear a uniform when we're working in reception.
(Student to teacher) When do we have to hand in our homework?
Al has to work tomorrow so he can't come.

We sometimes call this 'external obligation'.

Must expresses a strong obligation or necessity. It often shows us that the obligation comes from the speaker (or the authority that wrote the sentence).

I must phone my dad. It's his birthday today.
(Teacher to student) You must hand in your homework on Tuesday or you will lose ten per cent of your mark.
(Sign on a plane) Seat belts must be worn by all passengers.

Note that we don't use must to express obligation in the past. We use have to instead.

I had to pay £85 to renew my passport last week.

No obligation

don't have to

We use don't have to to show that there is no obligation. You can do something if you want to but it's not compulsory.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Grammar test 2

Modals - permission and obligation: Grammar test 2

Language level

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Look at these examples to see how , can't, , mustn't, have to and don't have to are used. You can put your shoes and coat over there. You can't leave your bike there. I must call the electrician and get that light fixed. You mustn't worry about me.

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We use the passive, rather than the active, to show that we are more interested in a certain part of the sentence. The passive is usually formed by the verb to be + past participle.
Can you give me some examples of the active and passive?

Yes, of course. Here's a passive sentence:
My room is being cleaned.
'My room' is the main focus of the sentence. The active form would be 'The cleaners are cleaning my room'. This sounds strange because it is obvious that, if you are in a hotel, cleaners would clean your room. So we sometimes use the passive to avoid stating the obvious.

OK, that makes sense. Are there any other uses?

We also use the passive when we don't know who did something, or when it isn't important.
It's the biggest outdoor elevator in the world, so I've been informed.
It doesn't matter who told me.
I think loads of films have been made there.
The important thing is the films, not the film-makers.

Can you use a passive and also say who did the action?

Yes.

Avatar was made by James Cameron.

Is the passive formal?

No, not necessarily. It can be formal or neutral or informal.
I hope to find everything clean and tidy ... you've been warned!
But we often avoid the passive in very informal spoken language, for example, by using they.

They based the scenery in Avatar on the landscape here.

We don't know exactly who they are, but we can guess that it's the people who made the film.

I think I've heard people use you a lot too when they don't refer to anyone in particular.

Yes, very good! That's another way of sounding more informal. You is a bit different; it means 'people in general'.

Parcels can be collected from the Post Office between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (more formal)
You can collect parcels between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. (less formal)

One last question, what about the passive with get? Is that informal too?

Yes, when we're speaking informally we also often use get rather than the verb be.
He was sacked from his job. = He got sacked from his job.
But be careful, not all verbs can be used in the passive with get - only verbs for talking about an action or a change.
She was knocked off her bike by a bus. = She got knocked off her bike by a bus.
Charlie Chaplinwas loved by millions. Charlie Chaplin got loved by millions.
Phew, OK. I think my brain has been fried by all this!

Ah, OK, we'll stop. But look - you're using the passive correctly already!

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We use the passive, rather than the active, to show that we are more interested in a certain part of the sentence. The passive is usually formed by the verb to be + past participle. Can you give me some examples of the active and passive? Yes, of course.

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Look at these examples to see how we can tell someone what another person said.

direct speech: 'I love the Toy Story films,' she said.
indirect speech: She said she loved the Toy Story films.

direct speech:'I worked as a waiter before becoming a chef,' he said.
indirect speech: He said he'd worked as a waiter before becoming a chef.

direct speech:'I'll phone you tomorrow,' he said.
indirect speech: He said he'd phone me the next day.

Try this exercise to test your grammar.

Read the explanation to learn more.

Grammar explanation

Reported speech is when we tell someone what another person said. To do this, we can use direct speech or indirect speech.

direct speech: 'I work in a bank,' said Daniel.
indirect speech:Daniel said that he worked in a bank.

In indirect speech, we often use a tense which is 'further back' in the past (e.g. worked) than the tense originally used (e.g. work). This is called 'backshift'. We also may need to change other words that were used, for example pronouns.

Present simple, present continuous and present perfect

When we backshift, present simple changes to past simple, present continuous changes to past continuous and present perfect changes to past perfect.

'I travel a lot in my job.'
Jamila said that she travelled a lot in her job.
'The baby's sleeping!'
He told me the baby was sleeping.
'I've hurt my leg.'
She said she'd hurt her leg.

Past simple and past continuous

When we backshift, past simple usually changes to past perfect simple, and past continuous usually changes to past perfect continuous.

'We lived in China for five years.'
She told me they'd lived in China for five years.
'It was raining all day.'
He told me it had been raining all day.

Past perfect

The past perfect doesn't change.

'I'd tried everything without success, but this new medicine is great.'
He said he'd tried everything without success, but the new medicine was great.

No backshift

If what the speaker has said is still true or relevant, it's not always necessary to change the tense. This might happen when the speaker has used a present tense.

'I go to the gym next to your house.'
Jenny told me that she goes to the gym next to my house. I'm thinking about going with her.
'I'm working in Italy for the next six months.'
He told me he's working in Italy for the next six months. Maybe I should visit him!
'I've broken my arm!'
She said she's broken her arm, so she won't be at work this week.

Pronouns, demonstratives and adverbs of time and place

Pronouns also usually change in indirect speech.

'I enjoy working in my garden,' said Bob.
Bob said that he enjoyed working in his garden.
'We played tennis for our school,' said Alina.
Alina told me they'd played tennis for their school.

However, if you are the person or one of the people who spoke, then the pronouns don't change.

'I'm working on my thesis,' I said.
I told her that I was working on my thesis.
'We want our jobs back!' we said.
We said that we wanted our jobs back.

We also change demonstratives and adverbs of time and place if they are no longer accurate.

'This is my house.'

He said this was his house. [You are currently in front of the house.]

He said that was his house. [You are not currently in front of the house.]

'We like it here.'

She told me they like it here. [You are currently in the place they like.]

She told me they like it there. [You are not in the place they like.]

'I'm planning to do it today.'

She told me she's planning to do it today. [It is currently still the same day.]

She told me she was planning to do it that day. [It is not the same day any more.]

In the same way, these changes to those, now changes to then, yesterday changes to the day before, tomorrow changes to the next/following day and ago changes to before.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Language level

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Do you know how to report what somebody else said? Test what you know with interactive exercises and read the explanation to help you.

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have somethin done

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