English I - Grammar focus for IR and BE students (April-2024)

Verb constructions
In English, when two verbs come together (when a second verb is dependent on a preceding
verb), the second verb can be:

 an infinitive ( with or without the preposition ‘to’)

 a gerund (‘-ing’)
 part of a clause beginning with ‘that…’, ‘if…’ and so on
 some verbs can take only one of these forms; others can take two or three forms.
For example:
You must go.
He wants to go.
Try to go tomorrow.
We have decided on going next week.
We have decided that we shall go next week.
There is no logical reason for many of these verb constructions, so there is no easy way of
learning them. But there are some groups of similar verbs that you may be able to
memorize.
1. The following verbs are followed by an infinitive without ‘to’:
Can, could, may, might, must, should, will, would, had better, would rather
2. The following verbs already contain to, and are followed by an infinitive: have to,
ought to, used to.
The verb used to, describing a habitual past action, which is followed by an infinitive, is
not the same as the adjective used to in the expression ‘ I am used to…’ meaning ‘ I am
accustomed to…’which is followed by a gerund.
3. The verbs make and let are followed by an infinitive without ‘to’:
 to make someone do something
 to let someone do someone

Ifm pg. 1
The verb help can be followed by an infinitive with or without ‘to’:
She helped me do it. She helped me to do this.
4. In the passive form, the verbs allow, enable and permit are followed by an infinitive
with ‘to’: You are not allowed to do that.
In the active form, if the verbs allow, enable and permit are followed by another verb, they
require an object (a noun or pronoun) plus an infinitive with ‘to’.

 To allow/enable/permit someone to do something:

This will allow us to expand into South East Asia.
This will enable the company to raise more capital.
This will permit them to be more competitive in their retail operations.
5. You forget, remember and regret doing something in the past.
You forget, remember and regret to do something that has to be done.
I remember doing that in the first year at university.
Did you remember to phone him this morning?
No, I forgot to make a note of his number.
I regret to inform you that you’re fired!
6. Some English verbs are always followed by a preposition if used in a long clause. For
example:
I apologize. I apologize for being late.
I insist. I insist on being consulted.
These verbs are followed by a preposition and a gerund:
abstain from +-ing accuse of apologize for
approve of assist in believe in
blame for complain about concentrate on
confess to consist of/ in contribute to
cope with decide on/against deter from
discourage from dissuade from dream of/about
indulge in enquire about insist on
joke about look forward to object to
participate in persist in prevent from

Ifm pg. 2
profit from prohibit from protest about/against
punish for refrain from rely on
save from succeed in suspect of
warn about worry about
It is necessary to distinguish between verbs followed by an infinitive ‘to’ ( I want to go; I
expect to), and the verbal forms above which themselves include the preposition ‘to’ ( and
are followed by a gerund).
7. Some adjectives, usually used with the verb to be, are also followed by a preposition
and a gerund. These include:
accustomed to annoyed about ashamed of aware
of
capable of doubtful about fed up with fond
of
frightened of guilty of interested in keen
on
prod of responsible for serious about tired of used
to
8. The following verbs concerned with future plans and desires are followed by an
infinitive with ‘to’ (I want to go):
aim, expect, hope, intend, mean, plan, want and would like.
9. The verbs like, love and hate can be followed by either an infinitive with ‘to or a
gerund. Other verbs concerning likes and dislikes are usually followed by gerund:
adore, can’t stand, detest, dislike, enjoy, fancy, feel like, loathe.
10. Many verbs encouraging or forcing another person to do something take the
infinitive with ’to’:
cause, command, compel, convince, encourage, force, incite, induce, inspire, oblige, order,
persuade, tempt, urge
However, equivalent negative verbs are often followed by a preposition and a gerund: to
deter, discourage, dissuade someone from doing something.
The following verbs are difficult to classify into meaningful groups. They are followed by an
infinitive with ‘to:
Advise, afford, agree, appear, arrange, ask, attempt, be able, bribe, challenge, claim,
demand, fail, guarantee, hesitate, invite, mange, offer, promise, refuse, seem, stay, struggle,
teach (how),tell (how), tend, train (how), understand (how), undertake, volunteer, wish,
wonder (how)

Ifm pg. 3
These verbs are followed by a gerund:
Acknowledge, admit (to), avoid, cannot help, carry on, consider, contemplate, count on,
defer, delay, deny, finish, give up, imagine, involve, keep on, mind, miss, practise, postpone,
put off, resist, risk, suggest.
The following verbs can be followed either by an infinitive with ‘to’ or by a gerund: begin,
continue, forbid, hate, like, love, need, prefer, propose, recommend, start, stop

I need to repair this. The car needs repairing.

You can stop doing something in order to do something else.
He stopped smoking last summer.
He stopped (writing) to look up a word in the dictionary.

Exercises
In the following three exercises, you have to write out the sentences, using the correct
form of the verbs in brackets, adding prepositions or other words as necessary. Use the
simple present and the past tenses where possible.
Exercise A
1. Three of the bank’s employees were (accuse) yesterday (buy) shares while in
possession of inside information.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

2. The treasurer (admit) (lose) $10,000 of the company’s money in a Las Vegas casino.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

3. The consultants (advise) the company (restructure) its middle management.

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

4. The management (agree) (show) the documents to the trade union representatives.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

5. Buying just one ordinary share will (allow) (vote) at the Annual General Meeting.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

Ifm pg. 4
 6. The production manager (apologize) (arrive) late for the meeting.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

7. I have (arrange) (come back) at short notice if any problems arise during my holiday.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

8. Because of the cash flow crisis, the company (attempt) (borrow) a further $ 100,000.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

9. The company’s staff were asked to (avoid) (speak) to journalists.

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

10. We are not (aware) (lose) any customers because of these delays.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

11. The company (believe) (distribute) profits among both staff and shareholders…
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

12. Quality problems were (blame) the company (lose) 20% of its market share.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

13. The new factory must (be capable) (produce) a range of different products.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

14. I hate fog. I (can’t stand) (wait) for hours at airports.

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

15. Despite the mixed market research reports, we are going to (carry on) (develop) this
product.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

16. The R&D department (complain) (lose) 10% of its budget.

Ifm pg. 5
 _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

17. Rather than diversifying, we are going to (concentrate) (make) our traditional
products.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

18. I would like to thank all of you for (contribute) (increase) our sales this past year.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

19. OK, you have (convince) me (stay) with the company.

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

20. We cannot (count on) (remain) market leader forever.

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

Exercise B
1. We have (delay) (introduce) the product until the New Year.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
2. The advertising department (deny) (mislead) the public about the product.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
3. Because of our huge advertising budget, competitors (deter) (enter) the market.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
4. This joint venture will (enable) (enter) the Chinese market.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
5. Do you really (enjoy) (work) 50 hours a week?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
6. The company (fail) (increase) its sales in the first quarter of the year.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

7. The government wants to (forbid) companies) (advertise) alcoholic products on

television.

Ifm pg. 6
 _____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
8. I (forget) (arrange) the meeting with the suppliers.

9. Many middle managers say they (be frightened) (lose) their jobs.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

10. We will probably (give up) (send) publicity material to schools and universities.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
11. We (guarantee) (provide) free after – sales service for two years.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
12. You (had better) (check) those figures before the meeting on Monday.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
13. The new law should (help) investors (understand) a company’s financial situation
more easily.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

14. You really ought to (enquire) (join) the employers’ association.

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
15. The union representative (insist) (speak) to the managing director.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
16. The company (be interested) (expand) into Latin-American markets.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
17. The marketing department (be keen on) (increase) the proportion of sales on credit.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
18. We intend to (let) each subsidiary (decide) for itself.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
19. In the hope that my proposition will interest you, I (look forward) (hear) from you.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
20. The law on partnerships is designed to (make) professional people (act) responsibly.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

Ifm pg. 7
Exercise C
1. Would you (mind) (share) an office with Mr. Vila?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

2. We all have to (participate) (improve) the quality of our customer service.

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

3. We are not (permit) (use) comparative advertising.

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

4. If you (persist) (arrive) at work at 10 o’clock, your contract will be terminated.

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

5. Your job is to (persuade) politicians (accept) our industry’s proposals.

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
6. We (promise) (refund) dissatisfied customers within 30 days.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

7. The company was (punish) (break) health and safety regulations.

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________
8. Two years on, we (regret) (abandon) the North African market.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

9. Because of the recession at home, we now (rely on) (make) profits abroad.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

10. I remember (start) work there at the age of 16.

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

11. Did you (remember) (post) the invitations to the Christmas party?
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

Ifm pg. 8
 12. We will probably (star) (produce) the new model within 18 months.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

13. We are still (struggle) (restore) sales to their 1999 level.

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

14. You will never (succeed) (get) a job with a CV that looks as bad as that.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

15. He was (suspect) (sell) information to rival company.

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

16. She (be used to) (work) late in the evenings, if necessary.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

17. I was never (train) (operate) this machinery.

_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

18. The bank (undertake) (buy) any bonds for which they cannot find purchasers.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

19. She (used to) (work) late in the evenings when she ran the department project.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

20. I (would rather) (earn) less money and have a shorter working week.
_____________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________

Ifm pg. 9