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GrammarA2Common Verb Patterns

Common Verb Patterns

A2
•Verbs•~10 min

Learning Objectives

  • ✓Match verbs to their -ing or infinitive pattern
  • ✓Use verb + object + infinitive after ask, tell, invite

Recommended before this lesson

verb + -ingverb + infinitive

What you'll learn

By the end of this lesson, you'll be able to combine verbs with the right pattern — -ing, infinitive, or object + infinitive — to express your ideas naturally.

When do I use it?

English verbs do not all behave the same way. Each main verb decides which pattern follows it:

  • verb + -ing: enjoy, finish, avoid, mind, consider, suggest, practice
  • verb + infinitive: want, decide, need, hope, plan, agree, learn, offer
  • verb + object + infinitive: ask, tell, want, need, encourage, invite (someone to do something)
  • verb + infinitive or -ing with the same meaning: like, love, hate, start, begin, continue ("I like to swim" / "I like swimming")

The verb is the boss: you must learn which pattern each verb takes. "I enjoy to swim" and "I want going" are both wrong for the same reason.

How do I form it?

Structure

verb + -ing → enjoy, finish, avoid, mind verb + to + verb → want, decide, need, hope verb + object + to + verb → ask, tell, want, need verb + -ing / to + verb → like, love, hate, start, begin

  • I avoid eating late at night. (-ing)
  • They hope to arrive early. (infinitive)
  • She invited me to join the team. (object + infinitive)
  • We started to work / we started working. (both)

Common mistakes for Spanish speakers

Warning

Because Spanish mostly uses the infinitive ("comer", "ir"), speakers use it everywhere — including after verbs that demand the -ing form: "evito comer tarde" is "I avoid eating late", not "I avoid to eat late". The opposite also happens with object patterns: "Me pidió que viniera" is "He asked me to come", not "He asked me that I come". Learn each verb with its pattern: memorize "enjoy + -ing", "want + to", "ask someone + to".

Hint

Learn the pattern with the verb: enjoy → -ing, want → to, ask someone → to. For like, love, hate, start, begin both work.

Practice

Multiple Choice

A2

Which verb pattern is correct?

Fill in the Blank

A2

They invited us stay for dinner.

Hint: 'Invite someone' takes object + infinitive.

Find the Error

A2
Click on the incorrect word:

Sentence Transformation

A2
Original
He asked that I open the door.

Task: Rewrite with object + infinitive

Hint: Use 'asked me' + infinitive, not 'asked that'.

Practice Speaking

Apply what you've learned in a real conversation with AI feedback.

Level: A2

Recommended next

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If you heat ice, it melts — universal truths.
Past PerfectB1
had done — the past of the past, for ordering two past events.

Related Topics

verb + -ing
The -ing form after certain verbs, after prepositions, and as a subject.
verb + infinitive
to + verb after want, decide, need, hope, plan, agree, and for purpose.
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