Verb Patterns

Advanced verb patterns showing how verbs combine with objects, infinitives, and gerunds. VERB + OBJECT + INFINITIVE: "I want her to go" / "I asked him to help". VERB + OBJECT + BASE VERB (no to): "I saw her leave" / "I heard him sing" (perception verbs). VERB + OBJECT + -ING: "I saw her leaving" / "I heard him singing" (action in progress). VERB + THAT CLAUSE: "I think that she's right" / "He said that he was tired". VERB + -ING or THAT: "I remember meeting her" = "I remember that I met her". These patterns determine how meaning is constructed in complex sentences.

• • VERB + object + TO-infinitive: want, ask, tell, expect, would like, advise, allow, enable, encourage, force, help, invite, order, persuade, remind, teach, warn
• • VERB + object + BASE verb (no TO): perception (see, hear, watch, feel, notice) + causative (let, make, have)
• • VERB + object + -ING: perception verbs when action is IN PROGRESS → saw her leaving (while leaving)
• • BASE vs -ING: saw her leave (complete action) vs saw her leaving (action in progress)
• • VERB + THAT clause: think, believe, say, know, tell, feel, understand, realize, suppose, imagine, expect
• • THAT is often omitted in speech: I think (that) she's right
• • MAKE vs LET: make someone do (force) vs let someone do (allow)
• • HELP: can use TO or not → help me (to) do it

1. 1

   verb + object + TO-infinitive — want, ask, tell, expect

   "I want her to go." / "I asked him to help." / "She told me to wait." / "I expect you to be on time." / "I'd like you to meet my friend."

2. 2

   verb + object + BASE verb — perception & causative

   PERCEPTION: "I saw her leave." / "I heard him sing." / "I watched them play." | CAUSATIVE: "Let me go." / "Make him stop." / "I had her do it."

3. 3

   verb + object + -ING — action in progress

   "I saw her leaving." (while she was leaving) / "I heard him singing." / "I caught them stealing." / "I noticed him looking at me."

4. 4

   BASE vs -ING with perception verbs

   BASE (complete): "I saw her leave." (she left, I saw the whole action) | -ING (in progress): "I saw her leaving." (I saw her while she was leaving)

5. 5

   verb + THAT clause — opinions, statements, knowledge

   "I think that she's right." / "He said that he was tired." / "I believe that it's true." / "She knows that I'm busy."

6. 6

   Omitting THAT — common in speech

   "I think she's right." (= I think that she's right) / "He said he was tired." / "I believe it's true."

• verb + object + TO-infinitive: want/ask/tell/expect her to go
• verb + object + BASE: see/hear/let/make her go (no TO)
• verb + object + -ING: see/hear her going (in progress)
• BASE (complete) vs -ING (in progress): saw her leave vs leaving
• verb + THAT clause: think/say/know that she's right
• THAT often omitted: think (that) she's right

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