Verb Patterns

Every English verb requires a specific grammatical pattern after it. You can't just put any word after any verb — each verb has rules about what follows. Getting the pattern wrong often sounds more unnatural than getting the tense wrong.

The Big Picture: 4 Pattern Types

Beyond gerunds and infinitives, English verbs follow four other important pattern types. Each type determines what kind of word or structure comes after the verb.

This lesson covers B1 to B2 level, starting with linking verbs and sense verbs, progressing through dependent prepositions to clause patterns and complex structures.

Linking Verbs and Sense Verb Patterns

Linking verbs connect the subject to a description. Unlike action verbs, they don't describe doing something — they describe being or seeming something. The most important rule:

⭐ After a linking verb, use an ADJECTIVE (not an adverb) to describe the subject.

The Core Linking Verbs

Why adjective, not adverb? Because the complement describes the subject (she, he, the teacher), not the verb. For more on this distinction, see Adjective vs Adverb.

Sense Verbs as Linking Verbs

The five sense verbs — look, sound, feel, taste, smell — can act as linking verbs when they describe a quality of the subject:

Three Patterns After Sense Verbs

Sense verbs can be followed by three different patterns depending on what you want to express:

⚠️ "like" vs "as if": Use like before a noun (looks like a castle). Use as if / as though before a clause with a verb (looks as if it might rain).

Sense Verbs as Action Verbs

The same sense verbs can also act as action verbs with a completely different pattern — they take a direct object instead of an adjective:

This linking vs action distinction connects directly to stative vs dynamic verbs — the linking use is stative (simple tense), the action use is dynamic (can be continuous).

Special Patterns: appear, seem, feel + that-clause

Some linking verbs can also take a to-infinitive or that-clause:

• He appeared to understand the problem. (= He seemed to understand.)
• I feel that we should wait. (= I believe we should wait.)

👉 Practice Linking & Sense Verb Patterns →

Verb + Dependent Preposition

Many English verbs must be followed by a specific preposition before their object. These are fixed combinations — you must learn the verb and its preposition together. There is no reliable rule to predict which preposition goes with which verb.

Don't confuse with phrasal verbs: Dependent prepositions are followed by a noun or -ing form (depend on something). Phrasal verbs use particles that change the verb's meaning entirely (give up = stop trying).

Common Verb + Preposition Combinations

Verbs + on:

Verbs + for:

Verbs + in:

Verbs + with / from / of / to / about / into:

💡 Some verbs change meaning with different prepositions:

• agree with someone (share opinion) vs agree on something (reach consensus)
• look at (direct eyes) vs look into (investigate) vs look for (search) vs look after (care for)

👉 Practice Verb + Preposition Patterns →

Verb + Clause Patterns and Complex Structures

At B2 level, you need to master verbs followed by clauses and verbs that take two complements.

Verb + that-clause

Many verbs of thinking, speaking, and feeling can be followed by that + clause:

Note: That is often omitted in informal English: I think (that) she's right.

⚠️ Suggest / recommend trap: These verbs take that + clause but CANNOT take object + to-infinitive:

• The doctor suggested that I rest more. ✅
• The doctor suggested me to rest more. ❌

Verb + wh-clause

Verbs of knowing and asking can be followed by wh-word + clause (an indirect question):

⚠️ Word order: In indirect questions, use statement order (subject + verb), not question order:

• Do you know where the station is? ✅
• Do you know where is the station? ❌

Ditransitive Verbs: Two Objects

Ditransitive verbs take two objects — an indirect object (person) and a direct object (thing):

Subject + verb + someone + something

⚠️ Tell vs say: Tell takes an indirect object directly (told me). Say uses to (said to me). Never write said me.

Complex Transitive Verbs (SVOC)

Some verbs take an object + complement — the complement describes the state of the object:

After these verbs, use an adjective (not adverb) as the complement:

• The rain made the roads slippery. ✅
• The rain made the roads slipperily. ❌

👉 Practice Verb + Clause & Complex Structures →

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Quick Summary

Pattern Recognition Guide

Key Verb + Preposition Quick Reference

Practice Tips

1. For linking verbs, always ask: "Am I describing the subject or the action?" If you're describing the subject (the soup is delicious), use an adjective. If you're describing how someone does something (she sang beautifully), use an adverb. Linking verbs always describe the subject.
2. Learn verb + preposition as a unit. Don't try to learn prepositions separately — memorise depend on, believe in, insist on as fixed phrases. Write them on flashcards as complete units.
3. For suggest/recommend, never use "object + to". These verbs take that + clause (suggest that you go) or -ing (suggest going), but never suggest you to go.
4. In indirect questions, check your word order. After know where, wonder if, ask how, use statement order (subject before verb): I know where she lives — not where lives she.
5. With ditransitive verbs, put the person first. The pattern is verb + person + thing (give me the book). If you put the thing first, you need a preposition (give the book to me). Both are correct; choose based on what you want to emphasise.

Practice All Exercises

Ready to practise verb patterns? These verb patterns exercises online — with answers and explanations for every question — cover B1 to B2 level. Printable verb patterns exercises PDF worksheets are also available for offline study. Work through all four sets: linking verbs exercises and sense verbs exercises for look, sound, feel, taste, smell + adjective patterns (B1); verb preposition exercises for dependent prepositions and prepositional verbs collocations (B1); verb complement patterns including that-clauses, wh-clauses, ditransitive verbs, and complex transitive structures (B2); and a comprehensive mixed review ideal for verb patterns exercises B2 learners:

Now try the exercises to practise what you've learned!