if you want to learn different verb patterns, then you are at the right place because, in this article, you will learn verb patterns with examples
VERB PATTERNS
The way we create sentences can be a real mystery to learners of English as a language. We learn about the different types of sentences that exist in a language, but there are also many different types of verbs. Some verbs are regular, but there are also irregular verbs. Some verbs have two or more different forms. Some verbs have a person/number/verb pattern that we don’t find in other languages. And then there are sometimes really interesting things like past tense and past participle
Table of content
- Subject + verb
- Subject + verb + subject complement
- Subject + verb + direct object
- Subject + VERB + Indirect object + direct object
- Subject + verb + direct object + preposition + prepositional object
- Subject + verb + noun/pronoun+ adjective
- Subject + VERB + Preposition + prepositional object
- Subject + verb + to-infinitive (as object of the verb)
- Subject + verb + noun/pronoun + to-infinitive
- Subject + verb + gerund
- Subject + VERB + NOUN/PRONOUN + PRESENT PARTICILPE
- Subject + verb + noun/pronoun + plain infinitive
- Subject + verb + noun/pronoun + past participle
- Subject + verb + noun/pronoun + (to be) complement
- Subject + verb + that clause (object of the verb)
- Subject + verb + noun/pronoun + that-clause
- Subject + verb + interrogative + clause
- Subject + verb + noun/pronoun + interrogative + clause
- Subject + verb + interrogative + to-infinitive
- Subject + verb + noun/pronoun + to-infinitive
Subject + verb
it is the simplest of verb patterns. The subject is followed by an intrinsic verb which is expressed complete without the help of any other words.
Subject | Verb |
Birds | fly |
Fire | Burns |
The moon | Is shining |
The baby | Is crying |
The bell | Has rung |
The sun | Rose |
Kamala | Was singing |
Subject + verb + subject complement
Subject | Verb | Subject complement | |
1 | This | is | A pen |
2 | His brother | Became | a solider |
3 | It | is | Me |
4 | That book | is | Mine |
5 | Gopal | looks | Sad |
6 | My father | grew | Angry |
7 | The children | kept | quiet |
8 | The milk | Has turned | Sour |
The complement usually consists of a noun (examples 1 and 2 ), a pronoun ( 3 and 4 ), or an adjective ( 5 6 7 AND 8)
Subject + verb + direct object
Subject | Verb | Direct object | |
1 | I | know | his address |
2 | The boy | Has lost | His pen |
3 | Andrew | Opened | The door |
4 | who | broke | The door |
5 | Mr. ALI | Has bought | A car |
6 | You | Must wash | Yourself |
7 | we | Should help | The poor |
Subject + VERB + Indirect object + direct object
Subject | Verb | Indirect object | Direct object | |
1 | I | lent | her | My pen |
2 | The teacher | Have paid | him | the money |
3 | We | Have paid | him | The money |
4 | The old man | told | us | The whole story |
5 | You | Must tell | The police | The truth |
6 | i | Have bought | My sister | A watch |
7 | He | Did not leave | us | any |
8 | —————- | show | me | Your hands |
Subject + verb + direct object + preposition + prepositional object
Subject | Verb | Direct object | preposition | Prepositional object | |
1 | I | lent | My pen | To | A friend of mine |
2 | The teacher | gave | homework | to | All of us |
3 | we | Have paid | The money | to | The proprietor |
4 | He | told | The news | to | Everyday in the village |
5 | He | Promised | The money | to | Me ( not to you) |
6 | I | Have bought | A watch | For | My sister |
7 | Mr . Andrew | sold | His car | To | A man form karachi |
8 | she | made | coffee | for | All of us |
We can use some verbs in both pattern 4 and pattern 5. Pattern 5 is preferred when the direct object is less important or when the indirect object is longer than the direct object.
Subject + verb + noun/pronoun+ adjective
Subject | Verb | Noun / pronoun | Adjective | |
1 | The boy | Pushed | The door | Open |
2 | The smith | beat | it | Flat |
3 | she | Washed | The plates | Clean |
4 | The theif | Broke | The safe | Open |
5 | He | turned | Thr lamp | Low |
6 | you | Have made | Your shirt | Dirty |
7 | I | like | My coffee | Strong |
8 | we | found | The trunk | Empty |
In example 1______6, the adjective denotes a state that results from the action expressed by the verb. In the last two examples, the noun and the adjective combine to be the object of the verb
Verbs used in this pattern include getting keep beat drive make paint leave turn find like wish
Subject + VERB + Preposition + prepositional object
Subject | Verb | preposition | Prepositional object | |
1 | We | Are waiting | for | Suresh |
2 | He | agreed | To | Our proposal |
3 | You | Can’t count | on | His help |
4 | These books | belong | to | Me |
5 | His uncle | met | with | An accident |
6 | she | complained | of | His rudeness |
7 | he | failed | in | His attempt |
Subject + verb + to-infinitive (as object of the verb)
Subject | Verb | To-infinitive(object of the verb | |
1 | She | wants | To go |
2 | I | forgot | To post the letter |
3 | he | fears | To speak in public |
4 | They | intend | To postpone the trip |
5 | Ramesh | proposes | To go into business |
6 | we | Would like | To visit the museum |
7 | i | hopes | To get a first class |
8 | he | decided | Not to go there |
The commonest verbs used in this pattern are love, prefer, begin, start, agree, try, attempt, choose, continue, intend, propose, desire, wish, want, hate, dislike, hope, expect, promise, refuse, fear, forget, offer, learn.
Subject + verb + noun/pronoun + to-infinitive
Subject | Verb | Noun/pronoun | To-infinitive etc | |
1 | I | Would like | you | To stay |
2 | we | asked | him | To go |
3 | He | helped | me | To carry the box |
4 | The doctor | ordered | Andrew | To stay in the bed |
5 | they | warned | us | Not to be late |
6 | I | Can’t allow | you | To smoke |
7 | she | advised | him | To study medicine |
8 | Who | Taught | you | To swim |
The chief verbs used in this pattern include asking to tell, order, command, persuade, encourage, urge, want, wish, request, intend, expect, force, tempt, teach, invite, help, warn, like, love, hate, allow, permit, remind, cause, mean, dare.
Subject + verb + gerund
Subject | verb | Gerund, etc | |
1 | She | began | Singing |
2 | he | Has finished | Talking |
3 | I | hate | Borrowing money |
4 | you | Must not | Seeing him |
5 | Mr Andrew | loves | Teaching |
6 | My brother | enjoys | Playing cricket |
7 | I | suggest | Burning that letter |
8 | —– | Don’t keep | Saying that |
Subject + VERB + NOUN/PRONOUN + PRESENT PARTICILPE
SUBJECT | VERB | NOUN/PRONOUN | PRESENT PARTICIPLE | |
1 | I | saw | him | Crossing the bridge |
2 | we | smell | something | Burning |
3 | we | noticed | The boy | Walking down the street |
4 | She | caught | him | Opening you letters |
5 | they | found | him | Playing cards |
6 | she | kept | The fire | Burning |
7 | ——— | (Please)start | The clock | going |
Verbs used in this pattern include see hear smell, feel , watch, notice , find , observe , listen , get , catch ,keep , leave ,set and start.
Subject + verb + noun/pronoun + plain infinitive
Subject | Verb | Noun/pronoun | Plain infinitive | |
1 | I | saw | him | go out |
2 | She | watched | him | Steal the watch |
3 | we | Heard | her | sing |
4 | The theif | felt | someone | Touch his arm |
5 | Let | him | Go | |
6 | we | made | tom | Behave well |
7 | he | bade | them | Leave the house |
The chief verbs used in this pattern are seen, watch, observe, hear, feel, make, let, and help bid.
Subject + verb + noun/pronoun + past participle
Subject | Verb | Noun/pronoun | Past participle | |
1 | I | heard | My name | Called |
2 | I | want | This letter | Typed |
3 | she | Felt | herself | Lifted up |
4 | You | Should get | That tooth | Pulled up |
5 | He | had | His suit | Cleaned |
6 | We | found | The house | deserted |
The verbs used in this pattern are, see, hear, find, feel, want, wish, like, make, prefer, get, and have.
Subject + verb + noun/pronoun + (to be) complement
The complement may be an adjective, adjective phrase or noun
Subject | Verb | Noun/pronoun | (to be) complement | |
1 | I | consider | The plan | (to be) unwise |
2 | we | thought | him | (to be) foolish |
3 | People | supposed | him | (to be) a patriot |
4 | they | reported | Robert | (to be) a reliable person |
5 | The court | appointed | her | Guardian of the orphan child |
6 | The club | chose | Mr. andrew | Treasure |
7 | She | called | him | A fool |
The chief verbs used in this pattern are, appoint, choose elect, make, call, name, nominate, crown, and christen.
Subject + verb + that clause (object of the verb)
subject | verb | That clause (object of the verb) | |
1 | I | suppose | (That) he is not at the home |
2 | I | Expect | (that) it will rain |
3 | we | hoped | (That)you would succeed |
4 | He | says | (That) he has met your uncle |
5 | The teacher | said | He was very busy |
6 | Andrew | suggested | That we should go to the park |
7 | He | admitted | That he had written the letter |
8 | they | complained | That they had not been fairly treated |
That is often omitted, especially after, say, think, suppose, hope, expect
The important verbs used in this pattern are said, think, suppose, imagine, know, believe, admit, confess, declare, suggest, complain, hope, expect, fear, feel, hear, intend, show, show, understand and wonder.
Subject + verb + noun/pronoun + that-clause
Subject | Verb | Noun/pronoun | That-clause | |
1 | He | told | Me | (that)he was coming on sunday |
2 | I | warned | Him | That there were pickpockets in the crowd |
3 | She | Has assured | me | That he is ready to help |
4 | Andrew | promised | me | That he would be there at five |
5 | we | Have informed | him | That we are leaving this afternoon |
6 | he | satisfied | me | That he could do the work well |
The chief verbs used in this pattern are, tell, inform, promise, warn, remind, teach, assure, and satisfy.
Subject + verb + interrogative + clause
Subject | Verb | Interrogative+ clause | |
1 | I | asked | Where he was going |
2 | Nobody | knows | When he will arrive |
3 | I | wonder | What he wants |
4 | She | showed | How annoyed she was |
5 | Tom | Could not decide | What he should do next |
6 | I | Cant imagine find out | Why she has behaved like that when the train is due |
The important verbs used in this pattern are asked to ask, wonder, know, believe, imagine, decide, discuss, understand, show, reveal, find, out, suggest, and tell.
Subject + verb + noun/pronoun + interrogative + clause
Subject | Verb | Noun/pronoun | Interrogative + clause | |
1 | She | asked | me | When you had gone |
2 | tell | us | What it is | |
3 | I | showed | them | How they should do it |
4 | can | You tell | me | Where he lives |
Subject + verb + interrogative + to-infinitive
Subject | Verb | Interrogative + to-infinitive | |
1 | I | Don’t know | How to do it |
2 | I | wonder | Where to spend the weekend |
3 | she | knows | How to drive a car |
4 | He | forgot | When to turn |
5 | tom | Couldn’t decide | What to do next |
6 | Remember | How to do it |
The commonest verbs used in this pattern are, know, understand, wonder, remember, forget, decide, settle, find, out, enquire, see, explain, guess, learn, and consider.
Subject + verb + noun/pronoun + to-infinitive
Subject | Verb | Noun/pronoun | Interrogative +to-infinitive | |
I | Shall know | you | How to operate it | |
He | Has taught | me | How to play chess | |
They | informed | us | Where to turn off the road | |
Advise | me | What to do | ||
We | asked | him | Where to get tickets |
The chief verbs used in this pattern are those illustrated in the table
so that is all about verb patterns if you any question you can ask comment sections below