TOEFL Preparation

Course

Verbs as complements

The English School-Thailand

 Verbs as complements

Verbs can appear as complements of the preceding verbs

Subject Verb Complement

•Several sectors are trying to eliminate the unwanted
effects.
•The Thai Parliament scheduled an assembly to hear
the next P.M. candicacy.
•Everyone should avoid exposing in direct strong
sunlight for too long.
Infinitives (to V)
Formed by adding ‘to’ to the verb in simple form(V0)

Infinitives are found in different positions.

To train is hard work. (Noun)
She always has energy to spend. (complement)
Both parties agree to sign the MOU. (complement)
The task was too risky to perform. (complement)
 Verbs that take ‘to V’
Agree Appear Arrange Ask Attempt Beg Care Claim
Decide Demand Deserve Desire Expect Fail Forget Hire
Hope Intend Learn Manage Mean Need Offer Order
Prepare Pretend Promise Refuse Regret Seem Struggle
Threaten Tend Try Volunteer Wait Want Wish

Many nurses volunteered to assist in the devastated area.

The terrorists have threatened to set up explosives.
A number of shipwreck victims could manage to reach lifeboats.
 Verb + Object + ‘to V’

Advise Allow Ask Cause Convince Challenge Encourage

Expect Force Hire Instruct Invite Need Order Permit
Persuade Remind Require Teach Tell Want Warn

Certain regulations allow us to enter the compound at night.

The United Nations advised some country to remain calm.
The colonel instructed his men to take over the hills.
 Adjective + ‘to V’

Anxious Boring Dangerous Difficult Easy Good

Hard Pleased Prepared Ready Strange Usual

All Thais are anxious to know the new P.M.’s goals.

To fly in turbulent weather is almost impossible to maneuver
safely.
Every lecturers at BCNPY will be prepared to master the TOEFL.
 Gerunds (Ving)
Formed by adding ‘ing’ to the verb in simple form(V0)

Gerunds act as nouns

Gerunds are found in different positions.

Teaching is my endeavor. (Subject)
Dr. Wichitra is good at her research planning . (Obj. of prep.)
We will try understanding without translation. (Obj. of V.)
 Gerund after Noun + Prepositions

The Followings are some nouns + prepositions that takes gerunds.

Choice of Excuse for Intention of

Possibility of / for reason for method of / for
Dr. ‘T’ has no intention of giving up now.
There was no reason for seizing both airports.
Tesco Phayao, a luxury store, has large choice of grocery.
Gerund after Adjectives + Prepositions
The Followings are some adjectives + prepositions
that takes gerunds.

Accustomed to Afraid of Capable of

Fond of Good at Interested in
Successful in Tired of
We are accustomed to having 3 TOEFL classes a week .
Political experts are interested in seeing how things work.
Some ‘old school’ folks are fond of raising fighting fish.
 Gerunds after verbs
The Followings are some verbs that takes gerunds.
Admit Advise Anticipate Appreciate Avoid Can’t help
Consider Delay Deny Discuss Enjoy Excuse Finish Keep
Mind Miss Postpone Practice Quit Recall Recommend
Regret Resent Resist Resume Risk Tolerate Try
Understand Imagine

Personally, I truly enjoy being an instructor of this class.

When experiencing diarrhea, avoid drinking milk.
The neighbors are considering relocating to a new town.
 Gerunds after two-word verbs
The Followings are two-word verbs that takes gerunds.
Approve of Be better of Call for Count on Depend on
Give up Insist on Keep on Look forward to Object to
Put off Rely on Succeed in Think about Think of
Worry about Prevent from

The authority did not approve of building another bridge.

After several attempts, the rescuers gave up searching.
The Astronaut succeed in installing a new device on the spacecraft.
 Gerund or infinitive
Some verbs can take either a gerund or an infinitive with no
difference in meaning. (Be careful, some have the difference!!)
Advise Agree Allow Attempt Begin Continue Dislike
Dread Forget Hate Intend Leave Like Love Mean
Neglect Permit Plan Prefer Propose Regret Remember
Start Stop Study Try
We love watching documentary films.
We love to watch documentary films.
The physician forgot seeing the patient.
The physician forgot to talk to the radiologist.
 Exercise : Verbs as Complements
1. John agreed permitting/ to permit him to reside with him for
the summer.

2. We do not approve of him to buy / his buying a new car.

3. He put off to collect/collecting and to analyze/analyzing the

surveys taken last week.

4. I am accustomed to traveling/travel by luxury trains instead of

buses.

5. We postponed to play/playing in the golf tournament due to the

Air pilot strike.
 Exercise : Verbs as Complements
6. His excuse for harshly criticizing/criticize her work was not
reasonable.

7. It is dangerous to complain/complaining about the political

condition of China while living in China.

8. He continued to elaborate/elaborating his main point.

9. The team failed earning/to earn the trophy for first place at the
debate competition.

10. I was looking forward to investigating/investigate in the

marketing career.
 Exercise : Verbs as Complements
11. I remembered to buy/buying a present for our anniversary on
the way home from the theatre.

12. She avoided counseling / to counsel him while he was

defending his actions.

13. John is capable of scheduling/ to schedule more time in a day

than he was before.

14. He succeeded in to convince/convincing the public of his

innocence.

15. The quickest method of transferring / to transfer money is to

do it on the telephone.
 Exercise : Verbs as Complements
16. We dreaded taking/to take medical exams the day before
Christmas.

17. I easily forget exercising/ to exercise daily.

18. John is anxious exploring/to explore all the possibilities.

19. He hesitated to address / addressing the board of directors

about the situation.

20. When I think of to attempt/attempting to produce/producing a

record, I can’t stand the stress.
 Exercise : Verbs as Complements
21. John allowed __________ (me/my) to go to the ball game.

22. Jason hates _________ (you/your) being mean to him.

23. We convinced _________ (them/they) to retake their test.

24. Our class does not approve of _______(the other team / the
other team’s) loudly screaming during the game.

25. The candidate persuaded __________ (our/us) to vote for

him.

26. We are planning on _________ (him/his) leading the hike this

weekend.
 Exercise : Verbs as Complements
27. You should urge _______ (our/us) to change our minds about
drug abuse.

28. He depends on her (to help/helping) him too much.

29. The professor instructed her(to rewrite/ writing) her paper.

30. She appreciates (them to return/ their returning) to clean up

the mess after the party.

31. Sue insisted on _________ (our/us) taking the plane in stead

of a bus.

32. We are looking forward to (you to come/ your coming) again.