VERBS + BARE INFINITIVE AFTER ALL MODAL VERBS: can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must, needn’t, etc… Ex: My children will probably have blue eyes and dark hair He must study harder if he wants to pass AFTER THE VERBS: let, make, would rather, had better Ex: You make me feel happy Let her go with him I would rather stay here than go with you You had better come at once if you want your lunch VERB + TO-INFINITIVE THE MOST COMMON VERBS FOLLOWED BY A TO-INFINITIVE ARE: afford , agree, ask, choose, decide, expect, hope, learn, manage, need, offer, plan, pretend, promise, refuse, seem, want, wish Ex: He expects to be back before midnight Mary wants to learn all that in three days I can’t afford to buy an expensive car now How old were you when you learnt to drive? He refused to give me my money VERBS + GERUND THE MOST COMMON VERBS FOLLOWED BY A GERUND ARE: admit, avoid, deny, dislike, enjoy, fancy, feel like, finish, imagine, keep, mind, suggest Ex: I deny having seen him yesterday Do you mind opening the door? I can’t imagine him riding a motor-bike I’ve finished cleaning the flat SOME OTHER SPECIAL VERBS FOLLOWED BY GERUND ARE: to be used to, to be worth, can’t stand , can’t help , it’s no use, to look forward to Ex: It isn’t worth buying that book I can’t help hating him I look forward to seeing you again It’s no use telling him what to VEBS THAT CAN BE FOLLOWED BY TO-INFITIVE OR BY GERUND THE VERBS LIKE, HATE, LOVE CAN BE FOLLOWED BY INFITIVE OR GERUND BUT IN THE CONDITIONAL TENSE THEY ARE ALWAYS FOLLOWED BY TO-INFINITIVE Ex: I hate cooking but I love shopping I’d hate to live in that house I hate to interrupt you while you are working We like reading English books We’d like to go to the cinema with you We like to read when we are relaxed OTHER VERBS WITH THAT DOUBLE POSSIBILITY ARE: remember, stop, regret, forget, prefer, start, begin, intend WITH THE FIRST FOUR, there is a clear difference in meaning With the others we can use either a to-infitive or an –ing form, the meaning is the same Ex: I must stop smoking (to stop so that you can it) I stopped to smoke a cigarette (to end an action) I will always remember meeting you for the first time ( the action is before remembering) Please, remember to post the letter I gave you ( the remembering is before the action) I won’t forget going to the beach for the first time I won’t forget to buy the newspaper, don’t worry I regret saying what I did (to be sorry because of something that happened in the past) I regret to inform you that you have to leave now (to be sorry for something you are doing, e.g giving bad news) John intends to buy a house = John intends buying a house It started to rain = it started raining The baby began to cry = the baby began crying AFTER PREPOSITION ALWAYS GERUND Ex: He insisted on going out by himself Are you thinking of buying a house? He accused me of telling lies Please forgive me for not writing to you I’ve always dreamt of being rich He apologised for keeping me waiting We thanked her for being so kind 1- Shall I ………………………… the door for you? - No, thank you I can ……………………………… (open, manage) 2- She has promised ……….…………… an advert in the newspaper but I' m sure they won't let her ………….………… it (put, do) 3- What your parents plan …………………….…………… about this problem? - They go on …………………………… about the possible solutions (do, think) 4- Don't be afraid of …………….……………… , but be carefully because you are not used to ………………… (fall, skate) 5- They can probably afford ……… ………… ………… so much money on a car but they know it is not worth ………………………….… it (spend, buy) 6- I'd rather ……………………………… for a walk with you but I promised ………………… before the film started (go, be back) 7- It's no use …………………………….…… I like her and I'd love ………………… ……………… it to her face (pretend, say) 8- I bought a bicycle instead of …………………………… … away on holiday because I didn't feel like ……………… …………… my money on superficial things (go, waste) 9- She always remembers ……………………….…………… the door before leaving but she denies …………………………… it and I don't know why (lock, do) 10- She wanted …………………………………… the situation but she can’t help ……… … about it (understand, argue) 11- If she enjoys ……………………………… television , she should ………………….……… told me about it (watch, have) 12- I'm looking forward to ……………………………… that new boy I hope …………………………………… him tonight (meet, see) 13- I'm learning ………………………………… English listening to songs but my teacher suggested me ……………………………… some grammar too (speak, study) 14- Would you mind ………………………………… alone for a couple of weeks? Well, I can't stand ……………………………….… alone but I'm going to try it (be, live) 15- They don’t let me what happened so I have been accused of …………………………… (explain, steal) 16- She makes me ………………………… very hard but I have to thank her for ……………………… me when I have needed it (work, help) KEY 1- OPEN, MANAGE 2- TO PUT, DO 3- TO DO, THINKING 4- FALLING, SKATING 5- TO SPEND, BUYING 6- GO, TO BE BACK 7- PRETENDING, TO SAY 8- GOING, WASTING 9- TO LOCK, DOING 10- TO UNDERSTAND, ARGUING 11- WATCHING, HAVE 12- MEETING, TO SEE 13- TO SPEAK, STUDYING 14- BEING, LIVING 15- EXPLAING, STEALING 16- WORK, HELPING