Verb + object (+ to) + infinitive (I asked her to wait)

B1-B1+
Grammar
Verb patterns

Look at these examples:

Example 1
Carol said to Bob: Make some coffee, please. We can say: Carol asked Bob to make* some coffee.*

Example 2
Ann said to Rose: Can you come to my party, Rose? We can say: Ann invited Rose to come* to her party.*

Example 3
Tom thinks Chris should see a doctor. He can say: I’ll persuade Chris to go to the doctor’s.

The structure is:

verb	+ object	+ to + infinitive
She asked	Jill	to wait.
She asked	her	to wait.

We use these verbs in this structure:

tell	force	teach	+ object + to
help	allow	remind
ask	invite	encourage
want	forbid	persuade
advise	would like

Note that the first verb can change its tense, but the second verb is always to + infinitive (e.g. to make):

She is asking Bob	*to make* some coffee.
She will ask Bob
She has asked Bob

Note that if we use a pronoun, we use me, him, us, etc. (object pronoun) after the verb:

Carol asked him to make some coffee.

Now look at these two sentences:

The teacher let Jane leave school early.
I made him tell me the truth.

Let here means allow, and make means force or order. Make and let are followed by an infinitive (without to):

	verb	+ object	+ infinitive
She	let	Jane	leave.

Feel, hear, see, and watch can also be followed by an infinitive (without to):

I heard your sister shout ‘Fire!’ (not … to shout …)
Tom saw a car come round the corner. (not … to come …)

PRACTICE

Now it is time to practise what you have learned.

For each Practice Test, read the instructions carefully.
Complete the exercise and press 'Check' to get your results.

Practice Test A

Practice Test B

Practice Test C

Practice Test D

Practice Test E

Nigel Bailey

Nigel is a qualified Teacher of English as a Foreign Language and has been teaching in Poland since 2003. He has been teaching over the Internet since 2008 and has taught more than 1,000 students in this way.

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