VERB PATTERNS – Exercises for the Test

I. Choose the correct answer.

1. She __________ to live in the country. enjoys used is used would rather
2. Jane ___________ to look for a job. has decided is thinking had better made him
3. The children ____________ cleaning the house. were made expect you are trying don’t mind
4. The owner _________ him to go. stopped wanted hoped let
5. The marketing director _________ meeting him. avoided managed happened helped her

II. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs.
drive eat help make talk write
1 I don't mind __________ as long as the roads aren't too busy.
2 My parents always made me __________ my bed in the morning.
3 I didn't want them __________ the whole pizza. There's none left for us!
4 She promised __________ me a letter, but I haven't heard from her.
5 Will you please stop __________ !
6 She asked me __________ her with her homework.

III. Complete the sentences with FULL INFINITIVES, BARE INFINITIVES or GERUNDS.    
My dad made me (study) last night. Please permit John (have) your book.
We need to help Mary (move) this weekend. I can't allow you (have) any extra time.
You must (let) me see you tomorrow night. He had made me (work) all night before he was happy.
John never permits anyone (help) him with his car. Mr. Peterson let his child (go) back home yesterday.
Paul let his friend (help) him (pack) up his suitcase. I will allow you (permit) the dog (eat) on the floor.
Our schedule permits us (let) the students (leave) early today. Joe often allows his dog (walk) without a leash.
I will make them (make) their beds everyday. I want (help) you (carry) your bags.
He enjoyed (work) with you yesterday. He will need (learn) (enjoy) life more.
Elvira discussed (leave) college with her advisor. You need to begin (learn) immediately.
He will hate (see) you leave so early. Marvin enjoyed (finish) his project early.
I will try (help) Harry (complete) the work by tomorrow. I plan (enjoy) (keep) my plants alive.
Will you practice (play) your basketball outside? Please permit me (correct) your errors.
Mary enjoyed (eat) dinner last night. John loves (drink) milk with cookies.
I planned (try) out my new car but couldn't. Pete had finished (work) on his project.
He started (clean) his room immediately. He had learned (fly) in the Air Force.
I will stop (play) basketball when I am tired. I needed (see) my advisor yesterday.
Joe will start (swim) on the team this year. Harry quit (smoke) for good last January.
I want (learn) (fly) an airplane. John said he enjoys (practice) basketball.
Mike enjoys (practice) and (play) basketball. Harriet planned (discuss) (go) on her vacation in June.

IV. Complete the sentences with the correct form of the verbs.
1) Sorry, I forgot (buy) ________________ some milk.
2) What would you choose (do) _______________ if you won £1,000,000?
3) When they had finished (eat)_______________, the doorbell rang.
4) The traffic warden ordered (I / park) _______________ my car over there.
5) Would you mind (I / close)_______________ the window?
6) A friend of mine has offered (pick us up)______________ from the airport.
7) This soup doesn’t taste right yet. - Try (put)_______________ in a bit more salt.
8) The mother would like (the children / help)_______________more at home.
9) People shouldn’t let (their dogs / run around)_______________ in the forest.
10) I’ll have (pay)______________ the bills this weekend.
11) Nobody told (I/ finish) ________________ this exercise by today.
12) They agreed (meet) _________________ the following Friday.
13) I can’t stand (queue) ________________ !
14) I need (wash) _________________ my hair tonight.
15) The book seems (be) ________________ missing.
16) They wanted (she / work) _____________ for very little money but she refused (do) _____________ that.
17) Don’t expect (have) __________________ an easy life here.
 18) Kids need (their parents / be) ____________________ supporting and understanding.
19) Can you remind (I / buy) ____________________ some batteries?
V. Look at the following sentences. Correct as needed.
A. My teacher made me write an essay about a difficult subject. B. She was made director of the ESL program.
C. She made her child studied to get a scholarship. D. That color makes her looks fat.
E. I have some leftover cheese and meat. We could make this lasagne with a little work.
F. My daughter was made clean her room.

VI. Put the verbs in brackets into the correct form.

1. My sister loves _______(go) shopping. 20. Would you like ________(listen) to some music?
2. I´ll try _________(come) to the meeting on time. 21. She told me ________(close) the door.
3. Peter refused ________(lend) me some money. 22. I don’t really mind _______(do) the housework.
4. She finally finished _______ (read) the book yesterday. 23. The film was so sad that it made her ______(cry).
5. I met Susan yesterday and we stopped _________(talk). 24. They invited us ________(spend) summer with them.
6. She continued _______(write) despite her disability. 25. He can’t stand _______ (work) with arrogant people.
7. Look this room. It needs ________(paint). 26. She admitted _________(murder) her husband.
8. You are not allowed _______(talk) during the test. 27. You are not doing it right. Let me ______(show) you.
9. He tried _________________(stop, drink) but he couldn’t. 28. She stopped _________(read) to ask me a question.
10. He forgot _______ (send) that parcel. 29. She advised me _____ (tell) them about the accident.
11. Thomas doesn’t let anyone ______ (smoke) in his house. 30. He promised _______ (come) on time.
12. Tom helped his mother _______ (get) the dinner ready. 31. I have arranged ________ (meet) him at the airport.
13. The driver admitted _______ (not, have) a driving licence. 32. Every Sunday we like ______ (go) for a walk.
14. The fridge is empty. I need _____ (do) the shopping today. 33. She encouraged him ________ (take) the exams.
15. Why don´t you put off _______ (go away) until tomorrow? 34. They can´t risk _______ (catch) a bird flu.
16. I met Susan and we stopped _______ (talk) for a while. 35. I regret _______ (break) the window.
17. She persuaded him ______ (take) Cambridge exams. 36. Will you give up ______ (smoke)?
18. They wouldn´t let me _______ (pay) for anything. 37. We expected them _______ (put on) smart clothes.
19. I tried _____ (move) the table but it was too heavy. 38. He suggested ______ (watch) the film.

VII. Complete the following sentences using the correct modal verb:
a. When I am older I would like to live / living in the USA. b. Have you decided what to buy / buying / buy yet?
c. It's a secret. You mustn't to tell / telling / tell anybody! d. I suggest to go / going / go to the seaside tomorrow.
e. Please don't forget to close / closing / close the window before you leave.

VIII. Choose the correct answer:

a. I remember _____ the Queen in London. a. meet b. to meet c. meeting d. to meeting
b. Did you remember _____ the letter? a. post b. to post c. posting d. to posting
c. I'm not used _____ up this early. a. get b. to get c. getting d. to getting
d. I used _____ to the cinema a lot. a. go b. to go c. going d. to going
e. I regret _____ Mary about the wedding. a. tell b. to tell c. telling d. to telling
f. Mrs Jones, I regret _____ you that your credit limit has been exceeded.
a. inform b. to inform c. informing d. to informing
g. Stop _____ this terrible noise at once! a. make b. to make c. making d. to making
h. I wanted to stop _____ some presents, but we didn't have enough time.
a. buy b. to buy c. buying d. to buying
i. Look, it's starting _____ . a. rain b. to rain c. raining d. to raining
j. I started _____ English when I was four. a. learn b. to learn c. learning d. to learning

IX. Cloze Exercise: Gerunds and Infinitives

Yuri was in his first year at university, studying History. He was rather a lazy student, and he tended to avoid
(work)________________whenever he could. In the middle of the semester, his history professor gave out an assignment,
due in two weeks. Yuri intended (do) _________________ the assignment, but he postponed (write) ________________
it for a week. The following week, he forgot (do) _____________ it. The night before the assignment was due, he
suddenly remembered it, and rushed to the library. He tried (read) ________________ as much as possible on the topic,
but there wasn't enough time. Yuri considered (ask) _____________ for more time to do his paper, but the History
professor was known to be very tough on students, so finally he decided (cheat) ________________ and copy his paper
from somewhere else. He found an old article on the same topic, and quickly typed it out. The next day, he submitted the
paper.
The following week, he was alarmed _______________ (see) the professor approaching him, looking angry.
"Is this your own work, or did you copy it?" asked the professor. Yuri denied _____________ (copy) the paper.
"If you expect me (believe) _____________ that, you must be very stupid," said the professor. "Every word is taken from
an article I wrote myself five years ago. Did you really think I would forget (write) __________ it?"

Type the correct form of the verb.

1. I can't afford (pay) _________________ for a new car.

2. He is so impatient that he can't wait (speak) ___________________.
3. Speech class will give you practice (speak) __________________ in front of people.
4. I expect (finish) _______________ this by three o'clock.
5. They are preparing (eat) _______________ dinner.
6. Bernadette dislikes (cook) ________________.
7. They refuse (take) _________________ money from their wives.
8. I want (quit) ___________________ the baseball team.
9. Doctors recommend (drink) ______________________ lots of water after exercising.
10. Pete just decided (look) _______________________ for a job.
11. They seemed (enjoy) ________________________ the play.
12. Harry detests (write) ________________________ long papers.
13. John can't afford (buy) _____________________ a new car.
14. My parents suggested (wait) ____________________ two weeks before I made my final decision.
15. Sarah expected (win) _________________________ the competition.
16. They demanded (be) _______________________ seated.
17. Martha considered (call) _______________________ her ex-boyfriend.
18. Billy promised (eat) ____________________ all of his spinach.
19. Louise finished (run) ______________________ at 6:00.
20. They pretended (enjoy) ______________________ the music.

VERBS+ING/ VERBS+(TO)+INF
Put in the correct form of the verb in brackets:
e.g. Bob wants …………………………………… (help) them.
Bob wants to help them.
e.g. I can't imagine ………………………………. (live) in the countryside.
I can't imagine living in the countryside.
1. We've decided ……………………………. (go) to the beach.
2. I stopped ………………………………….. (travel) when I got married.
3. Did you promise ………………………….. (take) the children to the cinema?
4. Have the men finished ………………………… (repair) the roof yet?
5. I'd love ……………………………………. (visit) India.
6. Would you prefer ………………………… (pay) now or later?
7. Why does John keep ………………………… (talk) about his mother?
8. I couldn't afford …………………………… (live) in Paris
9. You should give up ………………………… (smoke).
10. Bill hopes …………………………………… (go) to Greece next month.
11. Cathy´s thinking of ………………………… (write) a book.
12. He learnt …………………………………… (speak) by talking to his German friends.
13. She doesn´t mind …………………………… (cook) She really likes it.
14. You forgot ……………………………… (water) the plants while she was on holiday.
15. They spend most of the morning ………………………. (read) the newspaper and
…………………………….. (eat) pancakes.

KEY
1. We´ve decided to go to the beach.
2. I stopped travelling when I got married.
3. Did you promise to take the children to the cinema?
4. Have the men finished repairing the roof yet?
5. I´d love to visit India.
6. You should give up smoking.
7. Why does John keep talking about his mother?
8. I couldn´t afford to live in Paris
9. Would you prefer to pay now or later?
10. Bill hopes to go to Greece next month.
11. Cathy´s thinking of writing a book.
12. He learnt to speak by talking to his German friends.
13. She doesn´t mind cooking. She really likes it.
14. You forgot to water the plants while she was on holiday.
15. They spend most of the morning reading the newspaper and eating pancakes.

1. The bouncer refused _____ us into the club.

LET TO LET LETTING OF LETTING

2. We stopped _____ some fruit at the market on the way to the picnic.
BUY FOR BUYING BUYING TO BUY

3. They plan _____ the islands on their next trip.

TO VISIT VISITING TO VISITING VISIT

4. The driver was arrested for failing _____ an accident.

OF REPORT REPORT REPORTING TO REPORT

5. Someone suggested _____ for a walk.

GO GOING OF GOING TO GO

6. I can remember _____ voices in the middle of the night.

HEAR HEARD HEARING TO HEAR

7. As we walked past, we saw Sam _____ his car.

TO WASH IN WASHING WASH WASHING

8. Don’t forget _____ the front door when you leave.

LOCKING LOCK LOCKED TO LOCK

9. The police want _____ anything suspicious.

THAT WE REPORT US REPORTING US TO REPORT WE REPORT

10. I really enjoy _____ .

TO SAIL SAILING SAIL TO SAILING

11. I can’t stand _____ up in the dark.

GET GETTING TO GET TO GETTING

12. Would you mind _____ the window a bit?

TO OPEN OPENED OPEN OPENING

For each of the six questions choose the one correct answer
1. Which is the correct use of suggest? "We’ve missed the bus, ________?"
a. what do you suggest us do b. what do you suggest we do
c. what do you suggest us to do d. what do you suggest we to do
2. I don’t remember ________ you at the party, were you there?
a. seeing b. see
c. to see d. saw
3. The grass is very long, it needs ________ .
a. cut b. cutting
c. to cut d. to be cutting
4. Which of the following verbs is not followed by -ing?
a. He stopped going to the cinema. b. He enjoyed going to the cinema.
c. He wanted going to the cinema. d. He suggested going to the cinema.
5. Let me ________ for the meal, you paid last time.
a. pay b. paying
c. to pay d. paid
6. He always dreamed _______ in the city.
a. of living b. to live
c. in living d. for living