Questions tagged [catenative-verbs]

Verbs that take non-finite verbs/verb phrases as objects.

27 questions
1
vote
1 answer

"This will help us ensure" or "This will help us TO ensure": use of TO with infinitival clauses

Could you please tell me which sentence correctly uses "to"? I am always a little confused when using "to" in a sentence. Here, if it is a verb then "to" is required. This will help us to ensure that or This will help us ensure that
Charmi Sapariya
  • 493
  • 2
  • 11
  • 18
1
vote
1 answer

Try and/to do something

Page 54 of A Practical English Grammar reads We often use and... instead of to after try / be sure. This is informal. I'll try and phone you tomorrow morning. However, in page 299, it reads To talk about making an experiment - doing something to…
GJC
  • 809
  • 4
  • 13
0
votes
1 answer

Grew To Involve

I have a question about the abstract pattern "[verb1] to [verb2]" here: The slaying of Hugo Pinell, 71, triggered a riot Wednesday that grew to involve about 70 inmates at a maximum security prison east of Sacramento, said California Department…
meatie
  • 7,585
  • 19
  • 81
  • 151
0
votes
1 answer

a question about catenative verbs

John wants Mary to stay. "Wants" is the catenative verb here. "To stay" is the catenative complement of "wants". "Wants" is the head of "to stay". "Mary" is the direct object of "wants". "Wants" is the head of "Mary". Therefore, "to stay" and…
Loviii
  • 4,074
  • 2
  • 15
  • 48
0
votes
2 answers

"I have to watch my friend playing/play chess."

I was just making a joke about something and I said: "I have to watch my friend playing chess." is that correct or should I have used "play" instead of "playing"