Grammar summary | Unit 6

Verb patterns with infinitive Notice that teach is often followed by how before
and -ing to + infinitive.
He taught me (how) to play guitar.
verb + to + agree, decide, expect, hope, learn
Verb + -ing
infinitive (how), manage, need, plan, promise,
seem, try, want, would like We use the -ing form of the verb after certain verbs.
I enjoy listening to music in my car.
verb + object + ask, encourage, expect, help, need,
They don’t like watching football matches.
to + infinitive persuade, teach . . . (how), tell, want,
Did you consider saying ‘no’?
would like

verb + -ing avoid, consider, continue, enjoy, Common verbs which are followed by the -ing form of
finish, hate, like, spend time the verb are: avoid, consider, continue, enjoy, finish, hate,
like, spend time.
verb + -ing OR continue, like, start
to + infinitive
Verb + -ing or to + infinitive
Verb + to + infinitive Some verbs can be followed by either -ing or to + infinitive.
The meaning is the same. The most common verbs which
After certain verbs we use the to + infinitive form of another
can be followed by both forms are: continue, like and start.
verb. This is often to talk about hopes, intentions and
It continued to rain / raining for three days.
decisions.
I like to eat / eating Chinese food from time to time.
We decided to wait.
He started to play / playing football when he was five.
I tried to explain the risks.
He wants to come with us. Negatives in verb patterns

Common verbs which are followed by the to + infinitive To make the second verb negative in these verb patterns,
form are: agree, decide, expect, hope, learn, manage, we use not before to + infinitive or the -ing form.
need, plan, promise, seem, try, want, would like. I told him not to wait.
We spent a lot of time not doing anything.

Notice that know and learn are often followed by how before
▶ Exercises 1 and 2
to + infinitive.
I know (how) to write my name in Japanese.
She is learning (how) to swim.
Infinitive and -ing clauses
We can use verbs in two ways to describe how something is.
Verb + object + to + infinitive
It + be + adjective + to + Verb + -ing + be +
Certain verbs can also have an object before the to + infinitive adjective
infinitive form of another verb. In these cases the object
is the object of the main verb but the subject of the to + It is easy to find our house. Finding our house is easy.
infinitive verb. It is tiring to commute Commuting every day
She asked me to check the train times. every day. is tiring.
I would like everyone to concentrate.
I need you to help me with my homework.
▶ Exercises 3–5

Common verbs which are followed by object + to

+ infinitive are: ask, encourage, expect, help, need,
persuade, teach, tell, want, would like.

Some verbs must have an object before to + infinitive.

The most common are: encourage, persuade, tell, teach.
I told him to wait in reception.
They persuaded us to stay another night.

We don’t have to use to with the verb help.

Coffee helps me (to) stay awake.

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 EXERCISES 3 Rewrite the sentences so they have the same meaning.
1 Complete the conversations using to + infinitive or the 1 It can be stressful to change jobs.
-ing form of the verbs. stressful.
1 A: What are you doing? 2 Knowing the right person to contact is essential.
B: I’m trying 1 (fix) my bike. It .
A: Would you like me 2 (help) you? 3 Helping people with their problems is very rewarding.
B: Yes, please. Do you know how It .
3
(make) the brakes work? 4 It was strange to see him again after so many years.
2 A: Do you enjoy 4 (speak) in public? strange.
B: I don’t mind 5 (give) 5 Walking downhill is easier than walking uphill.
presentations if I have time to prepare. It .
A: I hate 6 (stand) up in front of 6 It was embarrassing not to have the right information.
large groups of people. embarrassing.
B: When do you have to do that? 7 Planning a big event takes a long time.
A: I agreed 7 (give) a talk at a
It .
conference next month.
8 It was great to spend time with my family.
3 A: Are you planning 8 (do) great.
anything special for your 30th birthday?
B: Yes. My friend Juan and I have decided 4 Write two sentences for each set of prompts.
9
(have) a big party. 1 nice / have a picnic / in the summer
A: Where? It’s nice to have a picnic in the summer.
B: We considered 10 (rent) the
Having a picnic in the summer is nice.
DanceMania nightclub, but it was too expensive.
2 not easy / write poetry
A: How many people do you expect
11
(come)?
.
B: About 200. We’ll continue 12
3 tiring / work / twelve hours per day
(look) for a venue, but it’s not easy.

4 A: What do you think of these companies that avoid .

13
(pay) their taxes? 4 bad idea / go for a run / without a bottle of water
B: I think it’s terrible. Someone needs
14
(do) something about it. .
A: I agree. It seems 15 (be) the big 5 sensible / book tickets / in advance
companies that are the problem.
B: Why should small companies pay and not big ones? .
No one likes 16 (pay) taxes. 6 not polite / phone people / after 9 p.m.

2 Put the words in the correct order to make sentences.

.
1 buy / to / some / need / I / stamps
I need to buy some stamps 5 Correct the mistake in each sentence.
.
2 you / him / me / call / can / tell / to 1 I enjoy to listen to classical music.
?
3 want / you / go / me / to / do / the bank / to 2 I don’t mind wait.
?
4 not / I / hope / be / late / to 3 Can you help us finding a new apartment?
.
5 agreed / her / pay / £12 per hour / I / to 4 He told to do my work again.
.
6 not / hate / I / the answer / knowing 5 I persuaded him to not leave.
.
7 me / encouraged / the job / apply / she / for / to 6 To work late at night is a bad idea.
.
8 her / asked / two tickets / to / I / book
.

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