Verbs Followed by an Infinitive She agreed to speak before the game.

afford agree aim appear arrange ask attempt (cant) bear beg begin care choose
I can afford to buy it. You appear to be lost I attempted to explain. I can't bear to leave. I choose to live here.

condescend consent dare decide demans deserve desire expect fail get go on happen
She consented to marry him. He demanded to know. She desires to see you. I failed to get an A.

help hesitate hope hurry intend learn leave like long love manage mean
I hope to leave soon. I learnt to speak Swahili I'll manage to survive. I didn't mean to hurt you.

neglect offer plan prefer prepare pretend proceed promise propose refuse seem shoot
I offered to pay for it. I pretend to be confident. I promise to be on time I refuse to believe lies.

start strive swear threaten trouble try use wait want wish

Verbs Followed by an Object and an Infinitive Everyone expected her to win. advise allow ask beg build cause challenge choose command compel direct encourage expect forbid force get hate help instruct intend invite lead leave like love mean need motivate oblige order pay permit persuade prepare promise recommend remind request require send teach tell tempt trouble urge want warn wish

Note: Some of these verbs are included in the list above and may be used without an object.

Adjective + Infinitive

Expressing feelings and reactions

Expressions of feeling

STATEMENT + MODIFYING CLAUSE After adjectives expressing emotion, you can use a thatdlcause We are happy that we are hearing the news. We were pleased that we received the letter. They were sad when they heard about his death. They were excited when they heard about the birth of her baby.

BE + ADJECTIVE + INFINITIVE or you can use an infinitive. We are happy to hear the news. We were pleased to receive the letter. They were sad to hear about his death. They were excited to hear about the birth of her baby.

Here is a list of adjectives that you will often find followed by infinitives. amazed * afraid anxious apt ashamed astonished * bound careful certain content delighted determined disappointed * eager eligible fortunate glad happy hesitant liable likely lucky motivated pleased prepared proud ready reluctant relieved sad * shocked * stunned * sorry * surprised * upset * willing

*These verbs are usually followed by verbs: to see, to learn, to discover, to find out, to hear.

Verbs Followed by a Gerund They enjoyed working on the boat. admit appreciate avoid burst out (crying) can't help cant stand complete consider contemplate delay deny detest dislike endure enjoy escape excuse face fancy feel like finish forgive forbid get through give up imagine involve keep (on) leave off mention mind miss permit postpone practice put off quit recall report resent resist resume risk spend (time) suggest tolerate understand waste (time)

Verbs Followed by a Preposition and a Gerund We concentrated on doing well. admit to approve of argue about believe in care about complain about concentrate on confess to depend on disapprove of discourage from dream about feel like forget about insist on object to plan on prevent (someone) from refrain from succeed in talk about think about worry about

Verbs that do not change meaning when followed by a gerund or infinitive object
attempt
house. I attempted to build / building a

continue
day.

We continued to work / working all

begin We began to work / working. deserve can't bear I can't bear to leave / leaving you. can't stand I can't stand to see / seeing waste. .

He deserves to be / being in jail.

start

She started to cry / crying