Common Problems with Verb Patterns in English

Don't make these mistakes - they confuse people...

Photo by Element5 Digital on Unsplash

One of the most frustrating things in learning a foreign language is this. You learn a rule, and it seems ok, but when it’s time to use this structure in real life, your mind goes blank, and you just put the words together without realising what the heck you’re actually doing.

Sounds familiar? I find myself in this situation all the time.

In English, such a thing often happens with verb combinations.

Is it “to live” or “living” after LIKE?

Do I HELP someone “to do” or “do” something?

It’s annoying, and it can really slow you down when you just want to tell your story or explain your idea.

That’s verb patterns for you. You don’t need the grammar label, really — it just means this: verbs are followed by certain forms of other verbs when said together. For example:

• I decided to go.

• She told me to call her.

• They enjoy cooking.

• She can’t stand waiting in long queues.

I don’t know how you combine verbs in your native language, but in English, four forms are possible:

1. verb + V1 (can do)

2. verb + to V1 (decide to do)

3. verb + Ving (enjoy cooking)

4. verb + to Ving (look forward to seeing)

V1 — it’s the form of a verb which is written in the dictionary.

In most cases, you need to learn by heart which form to use after which verb.

If you get these patterns wrong, people will still probably understand you. But you’ll feel less confident, and sometimes the meaning really does change. Here are three typical “trouble spots” for English learners:

used to do / be used to doing

These look almost the same, but they’re not.

• I used to smoke. (= I smoked before, but not now)

• I’m used to getting up early. (= This is normal for me; it doesn’t feel strange)

That small -ing makes a big difference. Without it, you’re saying something completely different.

look forward to doing

This one feels strange because you see “to” and want to use V1. But after “look forward to”, you always need the -ing form:

• I’m looking forward to seeing you.

• I’m looking forward to starting my new job.

This phrase is common in professional communication, and it is often included in grammar tests — so, it’s worth getting right.

stopped to do / stopped doing

Here, the pattern changes the meaning of “stop”:

• He stopped smoking. (= He doesn’t smoke it anymore)

• He stopped to smoke. (= He took a break from doing something and had a cigarette)

This is the same verb, but a different message. If you don’t feel this difference yet, you could say something you don’t really mean and confuse people.

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Please pay attention to these. Many people get them wrong more often than not.

And if you’d like to see where you stand with other common verb pattern problems, try my 16-question quiz and check how many you get right.

To be continued…