English grammar - Roger Berry 2012

B8.3 Conclusion
B8 Verb patterns
Section B Development

For learners of English a knowledge of the patterns that each verb can occur in is of vital importance. However, the most common verbs occur in many sub-patterns, and it would take a long book to describe all of them. Many can be predicted because of the semantic nature of the verb, but many cannot.

Learners tend to take one of two extreme positions. Some use a verb in only one pattern, ignoring all the other possibilities, with the result that their English is correct but very limited. Others assume that all patterns are available with every verb, resulting in errors.

A final activity can drive home this point.

Activity B8.5

Which of the following verbs can appear in the gap below? described, told, informed, explained

I ... her my problem.

Comments

Activity B8.1:

1 crazy; 2 delicious; 3 guilty; 4 warmer; 5 responsible; 6 impossible; 7 alone; 8 silent

Activity B8.2:

1. Not possible: ’What did they force?’ i.e. it is not monotransitive.

2. Possible: What do they want? (Us to help) i.e. it is monotransitive.

3. Not possible: What did they advise? i.e. it is not monotransitive. (This would be a feasible question if the answer involved one element e.g. a bath, but not us to leave.)

When the elements are treated separately, in a) only him can be questioned:

Who did they force to leave?

But this is not possible with force to leave (’What did they force him?’), showing that it is a predicative and the pattern is link transitive (see Activity A8.5). On the other hand, in c) both elements can be questioned:

What did they advise us? (to leave)

Who did they advise to leave? (us)

This shows that there are two objects.

Activity B8.3:

These are the possibilities (with the indirect object also underlined):

□ a to infinitive clause: They warned us to avoid uncooked vegetables.

□ a wh- word plus to infinitive clause: They warned us what not to eat.

□ a that clause: They warned us that a storm was coming.

□ a quote: ’Stop messing around!’ I warned them.

There are, of course, other ditransitive patterns, for example, an indirect object followed by prepositional object:

I warned them against taking me for granted.

Activity B8.4:

Here are just some of the more obvious patterns for these verbs; you may have thought of others:

Activity B8.5:

Only told is possible. For the others we would have to use other patterns:

I described/explained the problem to her. (Od + Op)

I informed her about the problem. (Oi + Op)

See also Activity B12.2 in B12.