Verb Patterns

Verb Patterns: Bare Infinitive or -ing form?

Some English verbs are followed directly by the base form of another verb, without to. This is called the bare infinitive.

We commonly use this pattern after modal verbs, after let and make + object, and after some verbs of perception such as see, hear and watch.

Modal verbs + base verb

After modal verbs such as can, could, must, should, might and would, we use the base form of the verb without to.

→ can/could/must/should/might/would... + bare infinitive

• You should go home now.
• We must leave soon.
• She can drive.
• It might rain later.

Let and make + object + base verb

With let and make, we often use this pattern:

→ let / make + object + bare infinitive

Let means allow someone to do something:

• Let me help you.
• She let him use her phone.

Make means force or cause someone to do something:

• He made me laugh.
• They made us wait outside.

Verbs of perception: see, hear, watch, feel, notice

After verbs of perception, we can use either the bare infinitive or the -ing form. The choice helps us show how we experienced the action.

Use the bare infinitive when you see, hear or feel the action as a whole event:

• I saw him cross the road.
• We heard the door close.
• I felt someone touch my shoulder.

Use -ing when you notice the action in progress or focus on what was happening at that moment:

• I saw him crossing the road.
• We heard someone talking outside.
• I felt someone touching my shoulder.

Compare:

Quick reference

• Bare infinitive: after a modal verb, and after let or make + object
• Bare infinitive / -ing: verbs of perception
  1) bare infinitive → complete event
  2) -ing form → action in progress

Verb + to-Infinitive or -ing Form: A Change of Meaning

Some verbs can be followed by either the to-infinitive or the -ing form. The choice can change the meaning of the sentence.

Future action vs. past experience

With verbs such as remember, forget and regret, the form can show whether we are talking about an action that comes after the first verb or an action that has already happened.

Stopping vs. changing activity

With stop, the two forms describe two different situations:

• I want to stop smoking.
  → stop + -ing = finish an activity
  = I want to finish the activity of smoking.
• I stopped to get some petrol.
  → stop + to-infinitive = stop one activity so you can do another
  = I stopped what I was doing because I wanted to get petrol.
• She stopped talking.
  = She finished talking.
• She stopped to talk to me.
  = She stopped another activity in order to talk to me. 

Trying something vs. trying to achieve something

With try, the two forms often show a difference between experimenting with an idea and making an effort to achieve something.

• Try adding a little more salt.
  → try + -ing = experiment with a possible solution
  = Experiment with this idea and see what happens.
• I tried to open the window, but it was stuck.
  → try + to-infinitive = make an effort to do something
  = I made an effort to open it, but I couldn't.
• Try using a different password.
  = This is a possible solution worth testing. (experiment)
• He tried to explain what had happened.
  = He made an effort to explain it. (effort)

Activity vs. intention or next step

Other verbs show different meanings depending on whether the -ing form describes an activity or the to-infinitive introduces an intention, result or new action.

• mean + -ing = involve
  This job means working at weekends.
• mean + to-infinitive = intend
  I didn't mean to hurt you.

• go on + -ing = continue the same activity
  The teacher went on speaking.
• go on + to-infinitive = move to a new activity
  She went on to explain the next part.

Need

With need, the two structures can describe the same basic need from different perspectives.

• We need to clean the kitchen.
  = Someone needs to do the cleaning.
• The kitchen needs cleaning.
  = The kitchen needs to be cleaned.