Verbs that take an infinitive

Verb + to-infinitive verb + obj + to-infinitive verb + obj + bare infinitive

afford to do sth persuade sb to do sth make sb do sth
plans and decisions Many of these are causative have
aim verbs let
arrange advise make
choose allow
decide ask have sb do sth is mainly used in American
intend beg English
plan cause I'll have my secretary call you.
prepare command
propose convince In passive structures makeneeds to
vote dare He was made to take the test again
enable
expectations encourage verb + obj + (to-)infinitive
demand entreat help
deserve expect
expect forbid help can be used with or without to
hope force
reckon get
want implore
wish intend
would like invite
yearn leave
need
promises and refusals nominate
fail oblige
guarantee order
offer pay
pledge permit
promise persuade
refuse prefer
resolve press
swear recommend
threaten remind
undertake request
vow require
teach
other verbs tell
afford train
agree trust
allow (passive only) urge
appear want
apply warn
ask would like
beg
claim
consent
dare
desire
forget
get
happen
help
learn
know
manage
mean
need
negociate
plead
pretend
seek
seem
tend
train
volunteer
wait
Verbs that take an -ing form
verb + -ing form verb + obj + -ing verb + obj + -ing form
admit doing sth imagine sb('s) doing sth see sb doing sth
saying and thinking In more formal language we We can't use possessive forms after any of
admit can use a possessive with these verbs, only object forms
advocate these verbs when talking
anticipate about a person or group of verbs of perception followed by an ing-
consider people - form or a bare infinitive
describe I appreciate you(r) helping
deny me An -ing form suggests we see the event in
discuss advocate progress
envisage anticipate He heard her closing the door
imagine appreciate
mention detest a bare infinitive suggests that we see the
propose dislike completed action.
suggest dread She saw him leave the house
envisage
liking and disliking forbid feel
adore forget hear
appreciate forgive listen to
detest foresee look at
dislike hate notice
enjoy imagine observe
fancy involve overhear
feel like like see
mind (neg and Qs) love sense
mind (neg and Qs) watch
phrasal verbs miss
carry on prevent can only be followed by an ing-form
give up recall
keep on
put off

can't
can't face
can't help
can't stand
catch
other verbs They caught him stealing
advise
recommend
allow related verbs
recollect
avoid discover
regret
delay find
remember
encourage smell
resent
finish
risk
go skiing, jogging etc other verbs
start
involve keep
stop
keep leave
can't stand
miss
tolerate
postpone They kept us waiting
practise She left him sleeping
quit
recall
recommend
resent
resist
risk
spend time
tolerate
Verbs that take an infinitive or an -ing form
no difference little difference difference
attempt doing sth/to
like doing sth/to do sth remember doing sth/to do sth
do sth
forget
attempt can't bear
go on
begin dread
mean
cease hate
regret
continue like
remember
intend love
stop
start prefer
try
Verbs + infinitive variations
verb + for + obj verb + infinitive or perfect
verb + bare infinitive
+ to-infinitive infinitive
wait for sb to do sth claim to be sth / have done sth should do sth / have done sth
appeal appear Modal auxiliaries
apply claim can
arrange happen could
ask pretend will
call prove would
 shall
should
clamour may
long might
opt must
pay ought to
seem
plead
tend
press semi-modals
reporting verbs
vote dare (in negs and Qs)
wait need (in negs and Qs)
wish
yearn other constructions
have to
be going to
Verbs which take a that clause
verb + that + obj + (should) + bare
verb + that + clause verb + obj + that + clause
infinitive
admit that + clause persuade sb that + clause insist that sb (should) do sth
Reporting verbs advise In standard British English the version
assure with should is usually used.
admit convince insist that sb should do sth
anticipate guarantee
answer inform In more formal British English and
believe persuade standard American English, the
boast promise subjunctive form with the bare infinitive
brag remind (without should) is preferred.
calculate tell insist that sb do sth
claim threaten
complain warn In informal British English normal tenses
confess are also sometimes used.
confirm insist that sb does sth
consider
declare advise
demand agree
deny ask
disclose beg
explain command
indicate demand
mention desire
order insist
pretend instruct
profess intend
recall order
recollect propose
realise recommend
say request
state require
suggest stipulate
threaten suggest
warn urge
 warn
Other verbs (many of
these can also be
used for reporting)

acknowledge
advise
advocate
agree
allow (admit)
appreciate
argue
arrange
assume
check
command
decide
demonstrate
determine
direct
doubt
dream
envisage
estimate
establish
expect
fancy
fear
feel
foresee
forget
guarantee
guess
hear
hold
hope
imagine
instruct
joke
know
learn
maintain
mean
notice
observe
plan
presume
promise
propose
prove
reckon
recognise
regret
remember
reply
report
require
resolve
reveal
see
seem
sense
show
suppose
suspect
swear
think
trust
understand
vow
wish
Verbs + object + to be sth / to have done sth / sth
verb + obj + to
verb + obj + to be/have verb + obj + sth
be + sth
imagine sb/sth to be presume sb/sth to be sth / to
consider sb/sth sth
sth have done sth
I imagined him to be He presumed her to have They appointed him chairman. (object
older than that. forgotten. complement - noun).

allow believe She considers him very helpful. (object

appoint presume complement - adjective)
assume understand
believe appoint
cause baptise
certify believe
choose call
confess certify
consider choose
declare christen
deem confess
elect consider
estimate crown
expect declare
find elect
get find
hold hold
imagine imagine
intend judge
judge make
know name
mean nominate
need paint
perceive
presume
proclaim
project presume
prove proclaim
repute profess
rumour prove
report rate
say suppose
see think
show vote
suppose wish
think
want
wish
Passive structures with reporting verbs
Many reporting verbs can be used in passive structures to distance the information being reported.
The two main patterns are:

Subject + passive reporting verb + to-infinitive

He is believed to be hiding in a local forest.
It + passive reporting verb + that + clause
It is thought that he had help from the outside.

The first type has several variations: we use a perfect infinitive for past reference
He is understood to have escaped in a stolen car.
We can use continuous and past continuous forms
He is considered to be managing quite well.
He is reported to have been living off wild plants.
and sometimes a passive infinitive is used
He is presumed to have been given food by local people.
The reporting verb can also be in the past
He was seen to enter the forest early in the morning.
Verbs which can take a wh- word + to-infinitive or a wh-clause
wh-words include - what, when, where, which, who, why and how (or the way)
verb + wh-word
verb + obj + wh-word + to-
+ to-infinitive / verb + whether + to-infinitive / clause
infinitive / clause
clause
discuss what to do / tell sb how to do ... / how + discuss whether to do sth / whether +
what + clause clause (or other wh- word) clause
arrange advise choose
calculate inform consider
check instruct debate
choose remind decide
consider teach determine
debate tell discuss
decide find out
describe These two verbs can be used forget
demonstrate with or without an object know
determine
discover
discuss
establish
explain
find out
forget
foresee
guess remember
imagine wonder
- ask (sb) when to do sth
know
ask
learn ask can be used with or without an object
show
notice - ask (sb) whether to do sth
plan ask
realise
remember
say
see
talk about
think (about)
understand
wonder
Verbs which take special constructions
verb + sth done sth needs doing verb + sth (to be)done
have something done something needs doing want sth (to be) done
have need
need
get want
Constructions with prepositions
After prepositional verbs, phrasal verbs with a preposition particle and verbs which take dependent
prepositions we use an -ing form
verb + preposition + verb + preposition + subj + -
verb + obj + preposition + -ing
ing ing
dream about doing
object to sb('s) doing sth forgive sb for doing sth
sth
abstain from approve of accuse sb of
aim at begin with acquit sb of
appeal to disapprove of advise sb against
apologize for insist on arrest sb for
approve of object to blame sb for
argue against charge sb with
argue for compensate sb for
bargain on condemn sb for
believe in congratulate sb on
beware of excuse sb for
boast about fine sb for
brag about forbid sb from
choose between forgive sb for
complain about involve sb in
concentrate on praise sb for
decide on
disapprove of
dream about
escape from
get out of
excel at
hold off put sb up to
insist on press sb into
joke about prevent sb from
look into prohibit sb from
object to punish sb for
participate in stop sb from
persist in suspect sb of
reckon on thank sb for
see about
set about
succeed in
take part in
think of / about
win by
Verbs that take two objects
Some verbs can take an indirect object as well as a direct object. Using an indirect object is an
alternative to using a prepositional phrase with to or for
verb + ind obj + dir verb + ind obj + dir obj
obj (=to) (=for)
give sb sth / sth to sb make sb sth / sth for sb
She read him a story He poured her a drink
(= She read a (= He poured a drink for her)
story to him)
book
award build
give buy
grant bring
hand catch
lend choose
offer cook (bake etc)
pass find
pay fetch
play get
post keep
promise leave
read make
sell order
send pour
show prepare
sing reserve
take save
teach
tell
throw
write
Infinitive of purpose
After many verbs or verb + object we can use an infinitive of purpose
I've come to help you
He's taking her to see the fireworks.
After phrasal verbs with an adverb particle we can also use an infinitive of purpose
She's gone out to buy some vegetables
She went up to greet him
a