Advanced Grammar – Verb + object + infinitive or gerund
ADVICE: These types of grammar classes are amongst the worst in the whole advanced English course. The information is dense, detailed and impossible to remember. The best strategy for each advanced English grammar rule to try and formulate a memorable sentence to help you memorize the rule.
1. This is a list of verbs with which we ususally use VERB + OBJECT + TO + INFINITIVE
First, however, here are some examples.
- She reminded him not to be late.
- We expect the children to be very hungry when they arrive.
- The plane took a long time to arrive.
| Warn
Tell Teach Take Remind Recommend Persuade Order Mean Invite Ontend Help Force Expect Encourage Enable Cause Beg Ask Allow Advise |
After the following you can also use a clause with ‘+ that’
Warn Tell Teach Remind Persuade Advise He warned me that my husband would be angry if I stopped shaving my legs. |
More complications with infinitive versus gerund
1a. With ‘recommend’ you can use either an infinitive or a ‘that’ clause in advanced English grammar.
- He recommended me to not buythe first thing I see.
- He recommended that I not buy the first thing I see.
1b. After ‘recommend, encourage, allow, advise’ you must use a gerund if there’s no subject and you add a second verb.
- He encouraged drinking in moderation.
- He allowed arguing – but only up to a point.
2. After the following verbs it’s necessary to include ‘for’ before the object.
Wait – Plan – Ask – Arrange
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- We’ve arranged for her to catch a taxi from the airport.
2b. Important SPANGLISH alert. After the verbs – want, would like, would love, would prefer, would hate – we do not use the following construction involving a ‘that clause.’ We do not say
- I want that you come INCORRECT
- I want you to come CORRECT
2c. Verb + object + infinitive without ‘to
The following verbs – Make, help and let – permit us to remove the ‘to’ on the infinitive.
- He made me promise.
- Don’t let people sit on thise chairs.
‘Help’ is optional because you can use ‘to’ or not. As you like.
3. When you are talking about making somebody do something in the passive tense (especially in adavnced English grammar) it is always followed by a ‘to’ in infinitive.
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- We were made to pray every day.
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Verb + object + gerund
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- He always keeps me waiting for half an hour.
- I really dislike dogs that bark loudly.
- I don’t mind you eating pork but don’t give me any.
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With the following verbs – stop, risk, remember, prevent, mind, keep, involve, imagine, hate, dislike – we use verb + object + gerund.
