8/16/2019 Week 4 Vocabulary and Grammar Verb Complementation I Theory

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/week-4-vocabulary-and-grammar-verb-complementation-i-theory 1/3

Week 4 –  Verb complementation I Practical course –  Vocabulary and Grammar

1

A. Verbs followed by that -clauses and adjectives 

1) Verbs followed by that-clause many verbs can be followed by a that -clause, especially report verbs and verbs referring to mental processes such as thinking, feeling,

realizing decide, comment, say, for ecast, request, wri te, warn, assume, consider, inf er, conclu de, reckon, recognise, presume  

 

the fact that   can be used with some of these verbs for additional emphasis   I recognise the fact that   she can’t help it. 

 some transitive verbs can’t be followed by a that-clause alone but only by the fact that   ignore, can’t bear/stand, enjoy, express,

in vestigate, leave out, f ace We cannot ignore the fact that  she lied to us. 

 

That-clause or to-in fi nitive both can be used after some verbs (agree, hope, pretend, forget  etc.) with practically no difference in meaning

 He agreed to come.  He agreed that he would come. 

 I promise to r emember .  I promise that I’ll remember. 

  a few verbs can be followed by an object + to-infinitive (usually to be )   usually more formal than that -clauses (announce,

confi rm, discover, pronounce, feel )

To -infinitive That -clause 

 I recognise her to be one of our best players. I recognise that she is  one of our best players.

 I know him to be  scrupulously honest. I know that he is  scrupulously honest.

They estimated costs to be  in the region of ₤ 1m. They estimated that costs were  in the region of ₤1m. 

 

Wh-clauses   many verbs commonly followed by that-clause can also be followed by a wh-clause  I didn’t know what to do. /  I can’t imagine why they did

that. 

 sometimes they are in reported questions  He asked what I was doing.

2) Verbs followed by describing nouns or adjectives some verbs are followed by nouns or adjectives that describe the subject

 include verbs connected with appearance and the senses (appear, look, sound, seem etc.) and those connected with change

(become, remain, grow, tur n  etc.)  My father remained a member of t he society  even after they criticised his behaviour.  

  other verbs (prove, appear, seem   etc.) are followed by an adjective or to be  + adjective   The plan proved (to be)

unworkable.

  some verbs (make, constit ute, form, comprise   etc.) are followed by describing noun phrases   You’ll make a rotten

teacher   –   you’ve no patience. / This represents a considerabl e incr ease  in our profits. 

 some verbs are followed by object + complement  most of these verbs are used in a limited range of collocations The

 jury found him guilty  of arson. / He knocked him unconscious  in the third round. / You’re dri ving me crazy!  / I hold you

responsible  for the damage. / I want him caught  as soon as possible. 

  a few intransitive verbs can also be followed by adjectives   lie empty/awake/helpless etc.; stand

motionless/erect/firm/proud/idle etc.; sit quiet/silent/still   etc.; die young/happy/intestate etc.; escape unharmed etc.; pass

unnoticed/undetected etc.; emerge unscathed/unin ju red etc. 

8/16/2019 Week 4 Vocabulary and Grammar Verb Complementation I Theory

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/week-4-vocabulary-and-grammar-verb-complementation-i-theory 2/3

Week 4 –  Verb complementation I Practical course –  Vocabulary and Grammar

2

B. Verbs used with prepositional and adverbial phrases 

1) Verbs of movement  most of them are commonly followed  by a prepositional phrase or adverbial phrase dri ft, pour , speed, slide, stagger, pull in , set off , leap,

storm, bound, turn , arri ve, fl oat, burst, limp, race, shuf fl e, ski d, hurr y, waft The van skidded into the back of the car i n f ront. / The rescue workers hurr ied towards

the scene of the accident. / The smell of something wonderful wafted thr ough fr om the ki tchen.

2) Verbs of position some verbs which indicate the position of things are commonly followed by a prepositional phrase or an adverbial phrase remain, end up. Occur,

stay, settle, stick, hang, sit, stare, stretch, extend, face    I grabbed my coat which was hanging behind the door. / We all sat at ou r desks  and stared out of the window. /

The sandy beach stretches for m il es along th is part of the coast. / His land extends as far as the eye can see. / She turned his chair so it faced towar ds the sea.

3) Verb + Object + Prepositional / Adverbial Phrase with some verbs, the prepositional or adverbial phrase commonly follows an abject replace, plunge, pop, screw,

posit ion, l oad, lean, dump, stuff , thr ust, toss, lower, t ransfer, dr ag, invit e, urge, tempt, for ce, steer   I picked up the picture and replaced i t on the table. / You need to

plunge the tomatoes in to boili ng water  to help remove their skins. / Pop the pies into the oven  for five minutes to heat them through.

4) Verb + Adverb some verbs are commonly followed by an adverb describing a particular quality handl e, break off , begin, end, sel l, pr ogress, dress, react, behave,

eat, go, burn, scratch, cut, do The car handles parti cular ly well  on corners. / Christoula’s English is coming along nicely.  / You’ll find the section you need breaks off

easily. 

 a small group of verbs  commonly followed by together   stick, pul l, get, knock around, move in, cl ub, li ve We must all sticktogether  if we’re going  to survive. 

5) Verb + way  some verbs commonly followed by a possessive pronoun + way + prepositional / adverbial phrase smash, crawl , fi ght, for ce, blast, dig, f ind, make,

edge, i nch, squeeze, worm, charm, talk , cheat, tri ck, buy, l ie, negotiate Spiderman managed to smash his way into the robber’s hideaway. / The advance guard slowly

crawl ed they way across np- man’s-land. 

C. Verb and preposition 

Prepositions Verbs Prepositions Verbs

about advise about

argue aboutbe concerned about

be worried aboutboast aboutdecide about

dream about

 guess aboutknow about

laugh about protest about

in absorbed in

confide inbe engrossed in

implicate ininvolve sne in sth

result in

 specialise in succeed in

trust in

against advise against

argue againstdecide against/in favour of

insure against

 protest againstvote against

of accuse sne of

approve ofboast ofconvict of

dream of

know of

remind sne of suspect oftaste of

8/16/2019 Week 4 Vocabulary and Grammar Verb Complementation I Theory

http://slidepdf.com/reader/full/week-4-vocabulary-and-grammar-verb-complementation-i-theory 3/3

Week 4 –  Verb complementation I Practical course –  Vocabulary and Grammar

3

at glance at/through guess at

hint at

laugh atmarvel at

on advise onbase on

blame oncentre onconcentrate oncongratulate sne on

decide ondepend on

elaborate onimpose oninsist on

 pride on

between choose betweendistinguish between

to answer toappeal toapply to

attend toattribute to

commit toconfess todenote sth to sne

devote toexplain sth to sne

object to prefer sth to sthrefer to

be resigned toresort to

 see to subject to succeed to

be used to

 for account for

admire sne forallow forapologise forargue for

blame sne forcare for

cater for

charge forcount forearmark for

 pay for

vote for

with acquaint with

argue withassociate withcharge sne withclutter with

coincide tocollide withcomply with

concern withconfront withconfuse with

cram with

deal withdiscuss sth with sne

 face withingratiate with

meet with pack with plead with

 provide withtamper withtrust with

 from bar frombenefit fromderive from

deter fromdiffer from

distinguish sth fromdistract fromexempt from

expel fromrefrain fromresign from

result from stem from

 suffer fromtranslate from/into