Verb Patterns

Verb Patterns- Classification and Speaking

Without looking below, put the verbs in the cards that you are given into columns
representing these categories:

+ ing verb

+ to + verb

+ someone + to + verb + someone + verb

Classify them further and help check your answers to the last question by putting verbs
with similar meanings together. Similar meanings often means that they also have the
same verb pattern, so see if there are any that you want to move.

Do the same thing with verbs which have opposite meanings (as they also often have the
same verb patterns). All the verbs can be matched with either something which has a
similar meaning and the same verb pattern or has the opposite meaning and has the
same verb pattern.

Put ones with prepositions and any verbs which mean the same or opposite things into the
+ ing category.

Ask your teacher how many should be in each category.

Check your answers below.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
+ ing verb

admit

deny

appreciate

resent

be used to

get used to

can’t stand

don’t mind

carry on

keep

complete

finish

consider

think about

delay

put off

discuss

talk about

dread

look forward to

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2014

fancy

feel like

give up

insist on

recall

recollect

spend time

waste time

to

agree

refuse

aim

intend

appear

seem

fail

manage

hope

long

promise

threaten

someone to do something

ask

beg

command/ order

tell

allow

permit

inspire

motivate

teach

train

someone do something

make

let

Use the same verbs to tell a story, perhaps starting with the starter that your teacher gives
you, e.g. the line from an FCE Writing Part Two stories task. Use past tenses throughout
the story.

Written by Alex Case for UsingEnglish.com © 2014