1.

Verb + to infinitive: Hope,

fail, intend, learn, offer
2. Verb + -ing: Avoid, feel like,
finish, suggest
3. Verbs that take both -
Similar meaning: Begin,
continue, start
4. Verbs that take both -
Different meaning: Stop,
remember, try.
1. We tried_____ the 9 o'clock
train, but we arrived too late.
Catch
2. The doctor told Henry to
stop________ . Smoke
3. Do you expect_______ your
maths exam? Pass
4. All the beach hotels were full, so
they ended up______ in the
town centre. Stay
5. I love this city. I can't
imagine____here. Live
6. Jerry promised_______ my
computer for me. Fix
7. I meant______ some stamps
yesterday, but I forgot. Live
8. Do your children enjoy_______
computer games? Play
When we use two verbs together, the first one often Complete the sentences about
determines the form of the second one. See the The Merchant of Venice
chart below.
with the correct verb pattern:
The verbs in red have different meanings according to
the form of the verb that follows them. The verbs in
1. Sadness ……………………………………… ( make)
blue can only accept the pattern indicated in the 3rd
column. The verbs in black have two patterns with no Antonio ………………(feel) stupid in the first Act.
difference in meaning. The verbs in green have objects. 2. He …………………………………………………….(avoid)
The verb help has two patterns. The purple verbs are
………………………(think) about his ships in the
modals or behave like modals.
ocean.
3. Salerio ………………………………..(try)
1 avoid, regret, * try, stop, remember, +
end up, keep, enjoy, miss, don’t mind, ……………………..(cheer) him up.
VERB – ING
begin,start, continue, prefer, like, 4. Bassanio …………………………….(decide)
hate, love
‘ ……………………….(tell) Antonio that he owes a lot
Why don’t try telling stories to improve of money.
your fluency?
5. Antonio would prefer …………………………..(waste)
refuse, need, hope, expect, pretend, + all his money than ……………………. (deny) his
2 seem, plan, decide, forget, stop,try, INFINITIVE friend some hope.
remember, begin, help, continue, WITH TO
prefer, like, hate, love 6. Bassanio ……………………..(hope)……………………(get)
some money to impress Portia.
She stopped to make a phone call.
7. Nerrissa …………………………(persuade) Portia
make, help, let + OBJECT + …………….(be) more optimistic about her future.
3
INFINITIVE
She made him apologise for his 8. She would rather …………………………(have) less
behaviour. money and ………………(be) happier.
9. Portia had better …………………………(tell) her
4 allow, force, encourage, expect, + OBJECT +
persuade, ask,teach, pay, help INFINITIVE admirers that she as in love with Bassanio.
WITH TO
She paid the gardener to mow the lawn.
10. Portia’s father forced her ……………………...(ask)
5 might, can, will, could, must, would + her admirers to choose the correct box
rather, should,had better INFINITIVE
before they could marry her.
‘I’d rather waste all my money than 11. Antonio ends up ……………………………(accept) a
offend me with your doubts’, he said.
dangerous agreement with Shylock.
12. Shylock will refuse ……………………..(receive)
* TRY – STOP - REMEMBER :
a)Try to do something = make en effort to do something more money from Bassanio. He needs
Try doing something = experiment/test an idea to see ………………………… (take) revenge against the man
if it works
who despised him.
b) Stop to do something = stop something in order to do
something else 13. Antonio encourages Bassanio ……………………
Stop doing something = stop something you were doing (not worry) about his debts and propose to
c) Remember to do something = remember before you
Portia.
do it.
Remember doing something = remember after you do 14. Shylock enjoys …………………………..(have) the
it (something about the chance to get a pound of Antonio’s flesh as
past).
payment for his loan.