Virtual English: Sentence verb patterns in English

Simple verb patterns Verbs combine in different ways in English. When two verbs come together there are three possibilities: //Pattern 1 1st Verb + 2nd Verb in (–ing form) Verbs that take this pattern include “enjoy” and “finish”: //Examples: · When I finished cooking, we ate dinner. · I enjoy spending my weekends at my beach house. //Pattern 2 1st Verb + 2nd Verb (in to + infinitive form) Verbs that take this pattern include “want”, “hope” and “decide”: //Examples: · I want to go to Spain for a year when I finish university. · I hope to find a job there as an English teacher. · He decided to come to the cinema eventually.//Pattern 3 1st Verb + 2nd Verb (without “to”) Modal Verbs like “can,” “will” and “should” take this form plus other verbs such as “let”: //Examples: § I can come to the party at eleven o'clock. § He should study more if he wants to pass. § My teacher doesn't let us talk in class. Some verbs can take both pattern 1 and pattern 2. These include “like,” “love,” “hate” and “begin”: //Examples: · I like to go swimming in the weekend. · I like going swimming in the weekend.