Mastering English Grammar: Verb Forms, Passive Voice, and More
Mastering Verb Forms in English
Verb + -ing (Gerund)
Verbs commonly followed by the -ing form (gerund):
(stop, delay, fancy, consider, admit, miss, involve, enjoy, mind, suggest, finish, postpone, imagine, avoid, deny, risk, practise)
Examples:
- Would you mind closing the door for me?
- Have you ever considered going to another country to work?
Verb + to (Infinitive)
Verbs commonly followed by the infinitive (to + verb):
(offer, decide, hope, deserve, attempt, promise, agree, plan, aim, afford, manage, threaten, refuse, arrange, learn, forget, fail)
Verb + (Object) + to (Infinitive)
Verbs commonly followed by an object and the infinitive:
(want, ask, help, would like, would love, expect, beg, mean, would prefer, would hate)
Examples:
- We expected to be home by ten.
- He doesn’t want to learn the truth.
Verb + Object + to…
- We expected Mary to be late.
- He doesn’t want anybody to find out.
After help, you can use the infinitive with or without ‘to’:
- Can you help me to solve this problem?
- Can you help me solve this problem?
Verb + Object + to…
(tell, remind, force, enable, teach, order, warn, invite, persuade, get = (persuade, arrange for))
- Can you remind me to phone Ann tomorrow?
(advise, recommend, encourage, allow, permit, forbid)
Verb + -ing (without an object)
- I wouldn’t recommend staying in that hotel.
Verb + Object + to…
- I wouldn’t recommend anybody to stay in that hotel.
Verb + Object + Infinitive (without ‘to’)
(make and let)
- Her parents didn’t let her go out alone at night.
-ing or to…
(begin, start, intend, continue, bother)
- She intends to buy a house in the country.
- She intends buying a house in the country.
-ing (Gerund)
(like, love, hate, can’t bear, enjoy, dislike, mind, can’t stand)
- I don’t like people shouting at each other.
- She hates living alone.
After love, hate, can’t bear, you can also use ‘to’:
- I love meeting new people.
- I love to meet new people.
After enjoy, dislike, mind, can’t stand, we use only -ing:
- I enjoy being alone.
- She doesn’t mind working after hours.
After would rather, had better, we use the infinitive without ‘to’:
- I’m tired. I would rather stay home tonight.
Passive Voice Tenses
| Active | Passive | |
| Present Simple | buys | are bought |
| Present Continuous | is buying | is being bought |
| Past Simple | bought | were bought |
| Past Continuous | was buying | were being bought |
| Present Perfect | has bought | have been bought |
| Past Perfect | had bought | had been bought |
| Will | will buy | will be bought |
| Going to | is going to buy | are going to be bought |
| Modal Verb | would buy | would be bought |
Active: My dad bought an English newspaper yesterday.
Passive: An English newspaper was bought yesterday by my dad.
Active: [The manager] gave [him] [a good promotion].
Passive: [He] was given [a good promotion] [by the manager].
(promise, give, send, teach, lend, allow, ask, call, recommend, offer, refuse, tell, make, order, pay, deny, answer, appoint)
Reported Speech Tense Changes
- Simple Present – Simple Past
- Present Continuous – Past Continuous
- Simple Past – Past Perfect
- Present Perfect – Past Perfect
- Past Perfect – Past Perfect
- Will / Shall – Would / Should
Reported Speech Pronoun and Time/Place Changes
- This / These – That / Those
- Here / Now – There / Then, at the moment
- Today / Tonight / Tomorrow – That day / That night / The following day
- Yesterday / Ago – The previous day, the day before / Before
- Next / Last (week, month…) – The following / Previous
Agreement/Disagreement
- You are late for school. So am I.
- You don’t like red skirts. Neither does Jane.
- My children go to St Johana’s School. So do yours.
- Paul should behave more carefully. So should Kathrin.
- Students were not tired at the end of the day. Neither were the teachers.
- Guy speaks English very well. So does Veronique.
- I am a teacher. So are you.
- Vivian can never be rich. Neither can Paul.
- I am not expecting any prize. Neither are you.
- I will be at the party. So will Alfred.
- Karim studied in the U.S.A. So did Henry.
- You didn’t see him. Neither did I.
- Sam should not have left school so early. Neither should Lillian.
- They must obey the instructions. So must we.
- We won’t be long. Neither will they.
- Mary goes by train at 3 pm. So do I.
- I did not wash my car yesterday. Neither did Kan.
- Camin is a computer scientist. So are you.
- Catherine has eaten rice. So have they.