Verb Patterns - Business English
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In English, when one verb is followed by another, the second verb takes a fixed form set by the first verb. The four main patterns are: verb + -ing (the gerund), verb + to + infinitive, verb + bare infinitive (no "to"), and verb + object + infinitive. There is no shortcut rule, so the safest approach is to learn each verb with its pattern. Some verbs take the -ing form: "I enjoy working with this team", "We considered hiring a consultant", "She avoided answering the question". Others take to + infinitive: "We decided to postpone the launch", "They agreed to send a revised quote", "I'd like to schedule a call." After modal verbs and after "let" and "make", use the bare infinitive: "You should review the contract", "Let me check the figures", "The new policy made everyone work late." Many reporting and influencing verbs take an object first: "I want you to lead the meeting", "We expect them to deliver by Friday." A common pitfall is using to + infinitive after "enjoy", "avoid", "suggest" or "look forward to": say "I look forward to hearing from you" and "I suggest meeting on Tuesday", not "to hear" or "to meet". A few verbs (begin, start, continue, like, prefer) accept both forms with little change in meaning.
Let's practise. Type each answer and press Enter, I'll check it with you.
- The CEO suggested (postpone) the annual general meeting until next month.
- We really need to avoid (waste) any more time on this minor issue.
- Mr. Henderson promised (send) the updated contract by the end of the day.
- I don't mind (work) late if it helps us meet the deadline.
- The marketing team managed (increase) our social media engagement significantly.
- She refused (accept) the terms of the new merger agreement.
- They decided (invest) more capital into research and development.
- Do you intend (hire) more staff for the upcoming project?
- The manager keeps (interrupt) me during my presentations.
- We should consider (outsource) our IT support to save costs.
- He offered (help) us with the quarterly financial report.
- I can't afford (buy) the new software subscription this year.
- The client expects (receive) a detailed proposal by Friday.
- Please remember (attach) the file to your email before sending it.
- She forgot (call) the client back after the meeting ended.
- The board members discussed (expand) our operations into Asia.
- I really enjoy (collaborate) with such a talented team.
- They failed (reach) a consensus during the negotiation.
- We plan (launch) the new product line in September.
- The accountant recommended (review) the budget one more time.
- He seems (be) very satisfied with the recent sales figures.
- I hope (see) you at the networking event next week.
- The company denies (leak) any confidential information to the press.
- You should practice (deliver) your pitch before the big meeting.
- They agreed (sign) the non-disclosure agreement immediately.
Common questions
How do I know whether to use the -ing form or the to + infinitive after a verb?
There is no single rule; the first verb decides. Learn each verb with its pattern. Verbs like enjoy, avoid, consider, suggest and finish take -ing ("We finished reviewing the report"). Verbs like decide, agree, hope, plan and offer take to + infinitive ("They agreed to extend the deadline"). When unsure, check a dictionary, which marks the pattern.
What is the difference between "remember to do" and "remember doing"?
The two patterns carry different meanings. "Remember to do" means the action comes after the remembering: "Please remember to send the invoice" (send it now/later). "Remember doing" means recalling a past action: "I remember sending the invoice last week" (it already happened). The same split applies to forget, stop and regret, so choose the form that matches your timing.
Why is "I look forward to hearing from you" correct and not "to hear"?
Here "to" is a preposition, not part of an infinitive, and prepositions are always followed by the -ing form. So you say "look forward to hearing", "interested in applying", and "good at presenting". This is a frequent error in professional emails. Write "I look forward to meeting you" and "Thank you for confirming", never "to meet" or "for confirm".