Non-finite Verbs

14 guides, tagged by CEFR level.

• Expressing purpose A2 Expressing purpose explains why someone does an action using 'to' followed by a verb or 'for' followed by a noun.
• Gerunds and infinitives B1 Gerunds and infinitives can function as nouns within a sentence, acting as the subject or the object of a verb. While gerunds are more common as subjects in daily speech, infinitives often appear in formal or poetic contexts.
• Gerunds/infinitives (advanced) B2 Complex gerunds and infinitives allow speakers to express actions that happened before the main verb or to use the passive voice within these structures.
• Infinitive of purpose B1 The infinitive of purpose uses the 'to + verb' form to explain why someone performs an action. It is a concise way to express the reason or goal behind a specific behavior.
• Like/hate/love + -ing A1 Use the -ing form of a verb after like, love, hate, and enjoy to talk about general preferences and hobbies.
• Preposition + -ing B1 In English, when a verb follows a preposition, it must take the -ing form (the gerund). This rule applies to all prepositions, including those following adjectives, nouns, or other verbs.
• Reduced relative clauses B2 Reduced relative clauses shorten a sentence by removing the relative pronoun and the verb 'to be'. They use present or past participles to modify nouns more concisely.
• Too...to / Enough...to B1 Use 'too' and 'enough' with adjectives and adverbs to describe the degree of a quality in relation to a specific action or purpose.
• Verb + -ing A2 Certain English verbs are followed by a second verb in the -ing form (the gerund) rather than an infinitive. This structure is common when discussing likes, dislikes, and the beginning or end of activities.
• Verb + object + infinitive/gerund B2 This guide covers complex verb patterns where an object is followed by either a bare infinitive, a to-infinitive, or a gerund, focusing on verbs of perception and causation.
• Verb + object + to-infinitive B1 This structure describes how we use a verb to influence or direct another person's actions. It is commonly used for requests, orders, advice, and desires.
• Verb + to-infinitive A2 This guide explains how to use a second verb in the to-infinitive form after specific main verbs like want, need, and hope.
• Verb + to-infinitive (basic) A1 This guide explains how to use a main verb followed by a 'to-infinitive' to express desires, plans, and needs.
• Verb patterns (change in meaning) B1 Certain verbs change their meaning depending on whether they are followed by an -ing form or a to-infinitive. Understanding these shifts is essential for describing memories, efforts, and future obligations accurately.