Transcript English Patterns

Some Common
English Patterns
1. Missing Main Verb

Remember that every English sentence must
have a subject and a main verb. (A sentence
may or may not have an auxiliary verb.)
S
The sound of the dryer
Arizona
She
That beautiful house
V
Complement
bothers
has
is
was destroyed
my concentration.
a very dry climate.
in the her office.
Yesterday.
2. Verbs that require an infinitive in
the complement.

Remember that the following verbs require an infinitive for a verb
in the complement.
agree
decide
hesitate need refuse appear
demand hope
offer
seem arrange deserve
intend
plan
tend
ask
expect learn
prepare
threaten claim
fail
manage pretend
wait
consent forget
mean promise want
Ex:
-He wanted to speak with me.
-We demand to know our status.
-They didn’t plan to buy a car.
-The weather tends to improve in May.
3. Verbs that require an–ing form in
the complement.

The following verbs require an –ing form for a verb in the
complement.
admit complete
avoid delay
keep
quit
miss
recall
understand
deny appreciate
enjoy finish
stop
mention
suggest tolerate
consider discuss
practice
risk
recall
suggest
postpone regret
EX:
He enjoys traveling by plane.
She is considering not going.
I miss watching the news when I am traveling.
She mentions stopping at EI Paso in her letter.
4. Verbs phrase that require an–ing form in
the complement.
approve of do not mind keep on
count on
be better off forget about look forward to insist to
can’t help
get through object to
think of
Ex:
-She forgot about canceling her appointment.
-Let’s go to the movie when you get though studying.
-We can’t help wondering why she left.
-I have been looking forward to seeing it.
-We wouldn’t mind waiting.