Grammar
English verb patterns: verbs followed by objects and clauses
Maya suggested meeting after work. Maya persuaded Leo to meet after work. The ideas are close, but the verb pattern changes what the sentence can say.
Choose a common verb pattern after a main verb: an object, a to-infinitive, an -ing form, an object plus a to-infinitive, or a clause.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
She persuaded him to apply for the role. /ʃi pəˈsweɪdɪd hɪm tə əˈplaɪ fə ðə rəʊl/
The short answer
After a main verb, choose the form that belongs to that verb. Decide and hope are often followed by to plus a base verb. Enjoy and avoid are followed by an -ing form. Ask and tell can take an object plus to plus a base verb. Say, think, and wonder can introduce a clause.
The team decided to delay the launch.
Why it works: Decide is followed here by to plus the base form delay. It does not take an -ing form in this meaning.
5 more examples
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Rina avoids taking calls during the presentation.
Avoid is followed by an -ing form when it describes an action that someone tries not to do.
Not this:Rina
decided to takethe call after the presentation. What changes: Decide is followed by to plus a base verb because it introduces a chosen action. -
The manager asked Priya to update the schedule.
Ask can be followed by a person and to plus a base verb when the person is asked to do something.
Not this:The manager
asked whetherPriya could update the schedule. What changes: Ask introduces a clause when the speaker wants information instead of an action from Priya. -
We considered moving the meeting online.
Consider is followed by an -ing form when people think about doing an action.
Not this:We
agreed to movethe meeting online. What changes: Agree to plus a base verb shows that the decision has been made. -
Jon reminded his neighbour to collect the parcel.
Remind takes a person before the to-infinitive when someone needs to remember an action.
Not this:Jon
remembered collectingthe parcel yesterday. What changes: Remember plus an -ing form looks back on a past experience. -
Leah suggested that the group start earlier.
Suggest can introduce a that-clause when the speaker puts forward an idea for another person or group.
Not this:Leah
persuaded the group to startearlier. What changes: Persuade takes a person and a to-infinitive because the person agrees to perform the action.
Read the full guide
Do not build a sentence by translating one word at a time. Start with the main verb, then check what can follow it. A useful question is: does the verb lead to a thing, an action, a person and an action, or a complete idea? The answer guides the next part of the sentence.
Start by looking at the main verb
The main verb controls the pattern after it. Before you add the next words, identify the verb and ask what it needs. Need can be followed by a thing or an action. Avoid normally leads to an action in the -ing form. A dictionary entry often shows these patterns after the definition.
The client needs a clearer estimate.
Need is followed by a noun phrase here: a clearer estimate.
The client needs to see a clearer estimate.
Need is followed by to plus a base verb here because the sentence names an action.
What should you record when you learn a new verb?
Record a short pattern and an example, such as avoid doing something or ask someone to do something.
Use to plus a base verb for plans and choices
Verbs such as decide, hope, plan, agree, and refuse often take to plus the base form of another verb. This pattern commonly points to an intended, chosen, or possible action. The base verb does not have an ending.
I hope to finish the report before Friday.
Hope introduces the action that the speaker wants to happen. Finish stays in the base form after to.
They refused to sign the revised contract.
Refused tells us that they chose not to perform the action of signing.
Choose the natural continuation: 'We agreed ___ the notes tonight.'
Use to send. Agree is commonly followed by to plus a base verb when people accept a future action.
Use an -ing form after some action verbs
Enjoy, avoid, consider, suggest, and finish are often followed by an -ing form. In these patterns, the -ing form names an activity. It is not a present continuous verb because it follows another verb rather than an auxiliary such as be.
Mina enjoys learning new keyboard shortcuts.
Learning names the activity that Mina enjoys.
The designers finished testing the new form.
Testing names the activity that they completed.
Which form fits after avoid in this sentence: 'Please avoid ___ personal details in a public chat.'
Use sharing. Avoid is followed by an -ing form in this pattern.
Put the person before the action when the verb requires it
Ask, tell, remind, encourage, and persuade can take a person before to plus a base verb. The person is the one expected to act. This word order makes the relationship clear: someone asks or tells another person to do something.
The guide encouraged us to take the quieter route.
Us identifies the people who may take the route.
Please remind Carlos to bring his ID.
Carlos is the person who needs to perform the action.
Which word completes the pattern: 'They persuaded ___ to stay for the discussion.'
Use an object such as her or the speaker. Persuade needs the person before the to-infinitive.
Use a clause for information, questions, and ideas
A clause gives a complete piece of information with its own subject and verb. Say, think, know, explain, and suggest can introduce a that-clause. Ask, wonder, and find out can introduce a question clause with whether, if, or a question word.
The notice explains that the building closes at six.
That the building closes at six is the information explained by the notice.
I wonder why the meeting moved online.
Why the meeting moved online is an indirect question. Its word order is subject then verb, not question order.
Which sentence has the usual indirect-question order?
Use 'I asked where the office was.' After where, the subject office comes before the verb was.
Notice when a change of pattern changes the meaning
A few verbs allow more than one pattern, but each pattern may point to a different time or purpose. With remember, to plus a base verb refers to an action you must not forget. An -ing form refers to a memory of an earlier action.
I remembered to lock the studio.
The speaker completed the action of locking and did not forget it.
I remember locking the studio.
The speaker has a memory of the earlier action.
How can you check a verb that appears with two patterns?
Check both patterns and read their examples. Do not assume that the meaning stays the same when the form changes.
Before you go
Remember this
Learn a new verb together with the words and forms that follow it. Use to plus a base verb after verbs such as decide and agree. Use an -ing form after avoid and consider. Use an object plus a to-infinitive after ask, remind, and persuade. Use a clause when the verb reports, asks about, or expresses a complete idea.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
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Try the written questionsQuestions about "English verb patterns: verbs followed by objects and clauses"
What is a verb pattern in English?
A verb pattern is the grammatical form that follows a main verb. It may be an object, to plus a base verb, an -ing form, an object plus a to-infinitive, or a clause. Learn the pattern together with the verb because the same general meaning can use different grammar.
Rina avoids taking calls during the presentation.
Which verbs are followed by to plus a verb?
Many common verbs use to plus the base form, including decide, hope, plan, agree, refuse, and want. This pattern often introduces an intended or chosen action. The exact pattern belongs to each verb, so check a learner dictionary when you meet an unfamiliar verb.
Rina decided to take the call after the presentation.
Why do some verbs take an -ing form?
Verbs such as avoid, enjoy, consider, suggest, and finish are often followed by an -ing form. The -ing form names an activity after the main verb. It does not function as a present continuous verb in this position because it follows the lexical verb rather than be.
The manager asked Priya to update the schedule.
When do I use an object before to plus a verb?
Use this pattern when the main verb names a person who is expected to do the next action. Ask, tell, remind, encourage, and persuade can take an object plus to plus a base verb. The object comes before the action, so the listener can identify who should act.
The manager asked whether Priya could update the schedule.
Can one verb have more than one pattern?
Yes. Some verbs can take more than one pattern, and the meaning may change. For example, remember to do something concerns an action you must not forget, while remember doing something refers to an earlier experience that remains in your memory.
We considered moving the meeting online.