Verb + Infinitive
- She asked to go to the pharmacy.
- Júlia would love to visit a French hospital one day.
- Javier promised to pick up that medication for me!
- We don't need to do that procedure again.
Both verbs are the subject's actions:
- She asked to go to the pharmacy. (She = asked, go)
- Júlia would love to visit a French hospital one day. (Júlia = would love, visit)
- Javier promised to pick up that medication for me! (Javier = promised, pick up)
- We don't need to do that procedure again. (We = don't need, do)
Because both verbs in the above verb pattern are the subject's actions, what happens when we want to say an object's action? Look at the following example:
- Javier: Lucy, could you check the patient’s chart please?
In the above sentence, what can we say for Javier’s action?
- Javier = asked
- Lucy = check the patient’s chart
Because we have the object Lucy, we need to use a different verb pattern: Verb + Object + Infinitive
- Javier asked Lucy to check the patient's chart.
The following verbs can be used in this verb pattern:
- ask
- advise
- allow
- beg
- cause
- command
- choose
- dare
- encourage
- expect
- force
- get
- help
- invite
- need
- order
- permit
- persuade
- recommend
- remind
- request
- teach
- tell
- warn
- want / would like
The negative can be a little confusing when using this verb pattern. Look at the following example:
- Javier: Lucy, you really shouldn't settle for less than chief of surgery.
Now, what is Javier’s action? Think of a verb to use:
- advise
- recommend
- warn
- What did Javier advise / recommend / warn Lucy to do? (not settle for less than chief of surgery)
- Javier advised / recommended / warned Lucy not to settle for less than chief of surgery.
This can be confusing because the second verb should be used in the negative in the above example. Look at the following example:
- Javier: I'm going to the medical lecture.
- Lucy: Which medical lecture?
- Javier: Dr. Whitmore's medical lecture! Aren't you going?
- Lucy: No, he didn't invite me!
Now, think about the two actions... (invite, go to the medical lecture). Which one should be negative?
- Dr. Whitmore didn't invite Lucy to go to the medical lecture.
Exercise
Using what you have learned, complete the activity.