VERB PATTERNS

Noelia Marín 3ºESO C

 GRAMMATICAL STRUCTURE
 Verb patterns refer to what follows a verb
 The meaning of the verb is often in the whole pattern, not just in the verb

Subject + Verb + Verb pattern + Complement

• I feel like buying a car
• I want to buy a car
• I might buy a car
 GERUND
• ADMIT / admitir • CAN’T HELP / no poder evitar
He admited having broken the window I can’t help laughing when I see something funny

• AVOID / evitar • CAN’T STAND / no aguantar

I always avoid talking about that topic
I can’t stand waking up early every day

• CARRY ON / seguir
• BE WORTH / merecer la pena I carried on studying until midnight
That object isn’t woth buying, it’s too expensive
 GERUND
• DENY / negar • FEEL LIKE / apetecer
She denied having stolen the money I feel like going for a walk today

• ENJOY / disfrutar • FINISH / terminar

We enjoy spending time together
He hasn’t finished cleaning yet

• GIVE UP / rendirse
• FANCY / querer hacer
She gave up on trying to convince her dad
I fancy going outside this evening
 GERUND
• IMAGINE / imaginar • LOOK FORWARD TO / esperar
I can’t imagine living in the country She is lloking forward to going on holiday

• INVOLVE / involucrar • MIND / importar

This job involves thinking and colaborating
I don’t mind doing homework if it isn’t too much

• MISS / echar de menos

• KEEP (ON) / continuar haciendo
I miss having a lot of free time
They’ll keep on dancing all night
 GERUND
• POSTPONE / posponer • REGRET / arrepentirse
They postponed travelling to the beach I regret not studying for my exams

• PRACTISE / practicar • RISK / arriesgar

You should practise playing the piano more often
You shouldn’t risk not doing your homework

• SPEND / gastar
• RECOMMEND / recomendar I spent all day trying to fix my phone
I recommend ordering these type of coffee
 GERUND
• STOP / parar
They stopped yelling when she asked them to

• SUGGEST / sugerir
He suggested driving to the countryside this weekend
 INFINITIVE (WITH TO)
• ALLOW / permitir • APPEAR / aparecer
She appeared to be right
He won’t allow you to skip classes

• ARRANGE / hacer un plan

• AFFORD / permitirse We arranged to meet our grandma tomorrow
I can’t afford to buy this computer
• BE ABLE / ser capaz
I am not able to do everything this evening
• AGREE / estar de acuerdo
We all agreed to share our things with each other
 INFINITIVE (WITH TO)
• CAN’T WAIT / no poder esperar • DESERVE / merecer
I can’t wait to try on my new clothes She deserves to rest a Little more

• CHOOSE / elegir • EXPECT / esperar, suponer

I chose to go on a trip last month and it was fun
I expect you to make an effort this semester

• HAPPEN / resultar
• DECIDE / decidir The news happenend to be fake
They decided to stop following us
 INFINITIVE (WITH TO)
• HELP / ayudar • LEARN / aprender
They helped me to organise my schedule I learned to cook pasta yesterday

• HESITATE / dudar • MAKE / estar obligados a

She always hesitates to speak to strangers
We are made to stay silent during an exam

• MANAGE / arreglarselas
• HOPE / esperar, tener esperanza de
I managed to finish my work before 5pm
I hope to be able to pass my exams
 INFINITIVE (WITH TO)
• OFFER / ofrecer • PROMISE / prometer
He offered to help me with my homework I promised not to tell anyobody her secret

• PLAN / planear • REFUSE / negar

I planned to go on a trip this Wednesday
They refused to turn down the music

• SEEM / aparentar
• PRETEND / fingir
The cat seemed to be fast asleep
She pretended to be younger tan she was
 INFINITIVE (WITH TO)
• TEACH / enseñar • WANT / querer
They teach us useful things to be smarter I want to travel around the world

• TEND / tender a • WOULD LIKE / gustaría

You tend to get distracted in class
I would like to be an astronomer when I’m older

• THREATEN / amenazar
The thief threatened to stab me with his knife
 INFINITIVE (WITHOUT TO)
• CAN / poder • MAKE / obligar a
My mum made me study all day
I can finish that later

• HAD BETTER / mas vale que

• MAY, MIGHT / ser posible
We might get stronger if we train more
You’d better stop saying rude things

• MUST / deber
• LET / dejar They must finish that assignment due tomorrow
Let people live how they want to
 INFINITIVE (WITHOUT TO)
• SHOULD / debería
You should stay here quietly

• WOULD RATHER / preferir

I would rather learn how to play an instrument than learn how to sing well
EXERCISES
1. Do you mind (help) me translate this letter?
2. I am looking forward (see) you this weekend.
3. You deserve (pass) all your exams. You studied really hard.
4. They should (obey) their teachers.
5. We really enjoyed (go) to the zoo the other day.
6. Cheryl suggested (see) a movie after work.
7. Debbie plans (study) abroad next year.
8. I agreed (help) Jack wash his car.
9. I hope (graduate) from college next June.
10. The models practiced (walk) through the runway.
11. Mandy has promised (take) care of our dog while we are on vacation.
EXERCISES
12. I don’t know what she wants (do) tonight. Why don’t you ask her?
13. Frank offered (help) us paint the house.
14. Sandra decided (study) economics in London.
15. Mr. Fred appears (be) the most qualified person for the job.
16. She refused (speak) to me after our fight.
17. She managed (communicate) with them the other day.
18. We want (save) money for our next holiday.
19. Today I don’t feel like (do) anything.
20. Do you still regret (do) what you did?
21. Dan enjoys (read) science fiction.
SOLUTIONS
1. Do you mind helping (help) me translate this letter?
2. I am looking forward to seeing (see) you this weekend.
3. You deserve to pass (pass) all your exams. You studied really hard.
4. They should obey (obey) their teachers.
5. We really enjoyed going (go) to the zoo the other day.
6. Cheryl suggested seeing (see) a movie after work.
7. Debbie plans to study (study) abroad next year.
8. I agreed to help (help) Jack wash his car.
9. I hope to graduate (graduate) from college next June.
10. The models practiced walking (walk) through the runway.
11. Mandy has promised to take (take) care of our dog while we are on vacation.
SOLUTIONS
12. I don’t know what she wants to do (do) tonight. Why don’t you ask her?
13. Frank offered to help (help) us paint the house.
14. Sandra decided to study (study) economics in London.
15. Mr. Fred appears to be (be) the most qualified person for the job.
16. She refused to speak (speak) to me after our fight.
17. She managed to communicate (communicate) with them the other day.
18. We want to save (save) money for our next holiday.
19. Today I don’t feel like doing (do) anything.
20. Do you still regret doing (do) what you did?
21. Dan enjoys reading (read) science fiction.