Verb and Preposition Collocations

Verb and Preposition Collocations

Intensifying adverbs

Intensifying adverbs

Negative inversion

Negative inversion

Inversion/ adding emphasis

Emphasis using negative introductory expressions

The following expressions can be placed first in a sentence for emphasis. The subject and verb are then inverted.
We use do/does/did if there is no auxiliary.

• little, never, rarely, scarcely:

Never have I seen so many people.

Little did we know that he had followed us.

• no sooner ... than, barely/hardly ... when:

No sooner had he got the job than he asked for a pay rise.
Hardly had I got through the door when the phone rang.

• at no time, under no circumstances, on no account, no way (informal):

Under no circumstances should you let anyone in.

• not since, not for, not a (person/thing), not only ... (but also):

Not since the 90s has he written such a superb novel.
Not a soul did we see on our journey.

Not only do they want a pay increase, they (also) want reduced hours.

• only + time expression or prepositional phrase:

Only now / after all these years has the crime been solved.
Only when I got to the airport did I realise I had forgotten my passport.

B Emphasis through 'fronting' parts of the sentence

'Fronting' involves moving elements of a sentence to the front in order to:

• start with the most important information;

• provide an emphatic contrast with the previous sentence;

• provide a link with what came before by putting known information at the front of the sentence.

Note
In order to avoid ending a clause or sentence with be as a result of fronting, we normally invert the subject and verb.

1 Fronting the object or complement

I don't know what we're going to do. -+ What we're going to do I don't know.
It took me ages to finish that assignment! -+ Ages it took me to finish that assignment!
I don't believe that. -+ That I don't believe!

2 Fronting adverbials and verbs of place or movement (+ inversion)

And now we are in the market place.
Here stood the old Corn Exchange building. Opposite is the church.
We arrived at our camp. Then began the slow process of acclimatisation.
Into the room swaggered the Count.
Note
We don't invert the subject and verb:

• if the subject is a pronoun:
Here stands his statue. Here it stands. Here stands it.

• with time phrases
At eight o'clock went off the alarm clock.

3 Fronting comparative or superlative phrases, so, such (when not followed by a noun), also (+ inversion)

She has made five films to date. Her latest film is particularly good. -+ Particularly good is her latest film.

The storm was so terrible that the ship sank. -+ So terrible was the storm that the ship sank.

His financial position was such that his friends started to worry. -+ Such was his financial position that his friends started to worry.

The house loomed out of the darkness. Also visible were several dogs guarding the door.

4 Fronting as and though
Try as they might, they could not win the race.
Exhausted though he was, he stumbled on.

Comparisons

A Review of comparison:
Comparative structures

• to a higher degree:
Boston is smaller/safer than New York.
Living in the centre is more fashionable these days.
• to the same degree:
Congestion in London is (just) as bad as it is in Paris.
He's as good a policeman as his father was.
Both cities are equally beautiful.
• to a lower degree:
The city is not as/so safe as it used to be.
It's not such a safe city as it used to be.
That's not such a good idea. (implied: as you might think)

2 Superlative structures
Mexico City is one of the largest cities in the world. Prison is the most/least effective way of dealing with such cnmes.

B Modifying comparisons
1 To express a big difference, we can use:
• a great deal, (quite) a lot, considerably, far, (very) much + comparative
It's much easier to get around today.
• by far (and away), easily + superlative
This is easily the best book I've ever read.
• nothing like, not nearly, nowhere near as ... as
Graffiti is nowhere near as serious a crime as murder.
• just about + superlative
He's just about the nicest person I know. (= extremely nice)

2 To express a small difference, we can use:
• barely, a bit, hardly any, a little, scarcely (any), slightly, somewhat + comparative
The house is scarcely bigger than a rabbit hutch.
• nearly, not quite as ... as, much the same as ...
The city is much the same as it was 50 years ago.

C so/such;too/enough (result)
so + adjective + that-clause
The demonstration was so peaceful that most of the police left·
• such a + adjective + noun + that-clause
It was such a peaceful demonstration that most of the police left.
• too + adjective (+ for) + to-infinitive
It was too dangerous (for us) to go out at night.
• (not) adjective + enough (+ for) + to-infinitive
It wasn't safe enough (for us) to go out at night.

D Other types of comparison

1 Repetition of the same comparative form to emphasise increase or decrease:
I'm getting colder and colder / more and more anxious.

2 the ... the to say how a change in one thing affects another:
The more I see you, the more I like you. The less you know, the better.
The longer we stand here in the rain, the worse I feel.

3 To contrast two similar qualities:
His behaviour was more strange than suspicious. (His behaviour was strange rather than suspicious.)
I'm not so much angry as relieved.

E as versus like
1 like + noun = similar to
He looks like a criminal. (but he's not)

2 as + name of job, etc. = role, function
He works as an 'extra' in films. (That's his job.)

F Ways of expressing preferences
We sometimes use comparative forms when expressing preferences:
I'd want/prefer to pay an on-the-spot fine rather than go to court.
I'd (far) sooner/rather live in Chicago than New York.

Past tense for hypothetical meanings: Wish/if only etc.

Past tenses for hypothetical meanings
We use past tenses after the following expressions to describe situations in the present, past or future which are imagined or unreal:

wish / if only, It's (high) time, would rather/sooner, would prefer, as if/though, suppose/supposing, what if

A wish / if only
1 We use wish / if only + past when we want a present situation to be different:
I wish / If only we had more money. (but we haven't)
I wish I was (formal: were) a bit taller. (but I'm not)
2 wish + would is used to express a wish for something to change in the present or future.
• We often use it to criticise or complain about someone or something:
I wish Peter would wear smarter clothes. I wish the weather would improve.
• I wish + would cannot be used to refer to oneself:
I wish I could (not would) stop smoking. (but I can't)
• We cannot use would for an impossible change:
If only the earth was (formal: were) square.

Note
Notice the difference between wish and hope. If we hope something will happen, we believe it is possible and likely:
I hope they will come. (= I want them to and I think it's likely.)
I wish they would come. (= I don't believe it's likely.)

3 We use wish / if only + past perfect to express regret about a past situation:
I wish we'd had something to eat earlier. (but we didn't)
If only I hadn't missed my appointment. (but I did)

4 Differences between wish and if only.
• if only is usually more emphatic than I wish.
• We can put a subject between if and only for emphasis:
If only you / If you only knew what I've been going through.

B It's time
We use this expression to say that something is not happening and it should be:
It's (high) time you gave up playing computer games. (You should give them up!)

C would rather/sooner, would prefer
I'd rather / I'd sooner you didn't ask me for any more money. (Please don't!)
I'd prefer it if you didn't ask me for any more money.

Notes
• If the speaker and the preference are the same, we use an infinitive, not the past tense:
I'd rather/sooner watch TV. (not Fe watch)
I'd prefer to watch TV (not-watch)
• We can also say I'd prefer you not to go.

D as if/ as though
• We use the past after as if/as though to indicate that the situation is unlikely:
He acts as if/though he was (formal: were) a teenager. (In fact, he's in his thirties.)
• We use a present tense to indicate that something is likely:
He looks as if/though he is a teenager. (And he probably is.)

E suppose/supposing, imagine, what if
We use these expressions to ask about an imaginary situation in the present or future, and its possible consequences:
(just) suppose/supposing/imagine you won the lottery, how would you spend the money?
What if you had hurt yourself-what would have happened then?

CONDITIONALS

Conditionals
1 Zero conditional: real events/situations, things which are always true
If means the same as when.
• present + present
If / When I work late, I always get home tired.
• past + past
If / When the weather was bad, we used to stay indoors.

2 First conditional: possible or likely events/situations (future)
If + present + modal verb / present continuous (with future meaning) / going to / imperative
If it snows tomorrow, the match willlmaylcould be cancelled / I'm staying at home.

3 Second conditional: unlikely or unreal situations (present or future)
If + past + would/could/might + infinitive
If you met your favourite actor on the street (unlikely), what would you do?
If I became President (but I won't), I'd build more hospitals. (in the future)
If I were you (but I'm not), I'd take warm clothes. (= advice)

4 Third conditional: unreal/impossible past situations
If + past perfect + wouldlcould/might + have + past participle
If we had known about the blizzard, we wouldn't have set out. (but we didn't know)
If you had listened more carefully (but you didn't), you would have understood. (= criticism)

Mixed conditional structures combine the verb forms from two different conditional patterns. The most common combinations are:
• unreal past + unreal present
If we hadn't got lost, we'd be there by now.
• unreal present + unreal past
If I were a more ambitious person (but I'm not), I'd have become a politician.

Other conjunctions can be used to introduce conditions:
• unless (= if ... not or only if)
Unless the weather improves, we will have to cancel the game. (If the weather doesn't improve ... )
She won't go to sleep unless you tell her a story. (She will only go to sleep if you ... )
• providing/provided (that), on condition that, as/so long as (= only if)
Note
These conjunctions are not used with the third conditional.
I'll lend you the money providing (that) you pay it back. I'd lend you the money as long as you paid it back.
• but for (= if it had not been for, if ... not)
But for your warning, we wouldn't have realised the danger. (If it had not been for your warning, / If you had not warned us, ... )

• whether ... or not (= it doesn't matter which of these situations )
Whether governments like it or not, they have to give more aid to the developing world.
• suppose/supposing, what if (used to talk about imaginary situations)
- The present tense suggests the condition may be fulfilled:
What if your plan fails, what then?
- The past tense suggests the condition is unlikely:
Suppose you won the Lottery, what would you do?
• assuming that (= in the possible situation that) Assuming (that) you're right, we should turn left here.
• in case (as a way of being safe from something that might happen)
Take your umbrella in case it rains.
• otherwise (= if not)
Let's hope the weather improves. Otherwise (= If it doesn't), we'll have to cancel the picnic.
D Omission of if
If can be omitted and the auxiliary verb moved in front of the subject (inversion). this structure is formal.
• should suggests that the condition is unlikely:
Should you ever find yourself in Oxford, we would be glad to see you. (If you should ever ... )
• were suggests that the condition is unlikely:
Were the company to collapse, many people would lose their savings. (If the company collapsed ... )
• had
Had I known earlier that you wanted to join the team, I'd
have put your name on the list. (If I had known ... )
My horse would have won had he not fallen at the final fence. ( ... if he had not fallen ... )

Conditional sentences

The first conditional
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/flatmates/episode24/languagepoint.shtml?postcard_dropdown=Episodes&x=7&y=11

The second conditional
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1159_gramchallenge38/

The third conditional
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv356.shtml

mixed conditionals
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv344.shtml

Inversion in conditional sentences

Is the sentence Hadn't it been for?...(as an alternative to Had it not been for?...) correct or incorrect?

www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv342.shtml

Countable and uncountable nouns. Determiners

Uncountable nouns
1 These refer to things we think of as a 'mass', rather than individual, countable things. They usually have no plural form and are used with a singular verb: accommodation, advice, clothing, equipment, food, flu, luggage, patience, weather, etc.
Progress is very slow.

2 We do not normally use the indefinite article (a/an) with uncountable nouns. Instead, determiners like some, any, etc. may be used:
Here is some advice. There isn't any evidence.

3 We can use the definite article with uncountable nouns when we are talking about a specific example of something:
Can you give me back the money I gave you?

However, we do not use the definite article to talk about things generally:
Money is the root of all evil.

4 To make uncountable nouns countable, we use phrases like these:
a bit of help, a piece of evidence/information, a pile of rubbish/books, a slice of bread/cake, a spoonful/two spoonfuls of (sugar)

B Countable or uncountable nouns?
1 Many nouns can be countable or uncountable depending on the context:
Uncountable
Life here is very good.
Time is short.
Don't stay out in the cold.
Science is not a popular subject.
Countable
Many lives were saved.
Times were hard.
Colds are common in winter.
The sciences are squeezed of funds.

2 Some uncountable nouns can be used with the indefinite article. They are usually qualified by an adjective or phrase:

Uncountable
Knowledge is power.
I've got no time.
Tolerance is a virtue.
Countable + adjectival phrase
He has a good knowledge of the area.
Have a good time.
He showed a great deal of tolerance.

C Subject-verb agreement
1 Uncountable nouns ending in -s are followed by a singular verb:
aerobics, athletics, genetics, maths, news, physics, politics, etc.
No news is good news.
2 These nouns are always followed by a plural verb:
• Nouns ending in -s, usually clothes and tools: pyjamas, shorts, trousers; glasses (= spectacles), pliers, scissors
To make these singular, we usually use a pair of: a pair of trousers

• Nouns made up of many 'parts':
the authorities, belongings, cattle, contents, goods, (the) people, (the) police, remains

3 The noun whereabouts can be followed by a singular or plural verb:
His whereabouts is/are unknown.

4 Collective nouns (nouns referring to groups)
• These may be used with a singular verb if we think of them as a single unit, or with a plural verb if we are referring to members of the group. We use the with these nouns:

The staff is excellent. (= thinking of an impersonal unit)
The staff are excellent. (= thinking of the people who work there)
The media is/are very powerful.
Other examples include: army, audience, choir, committee, headquarters, orchestra, press, public, team
• We generally use a singular verb after a/an + collective noun:
An army of volunteers is on its way.
• We generally use a plural verb after the following expressions when they are followed by of + plural noun: the majority/minority (of), a number (of), a couple (of)
Only a minority of people support the new law.
A number of people still cling on to the old beliefs. Compare:
A small minority disagree/disagrees with the ruling.

5 If a plural subject describes a single unit, e.g. an amount or quantity, we usually use a singular verb:
Thirty kilo metres is a long way.
Five euros is not much.
Six per cent is a big increase.

D Determiners, pronouns and quantifiers
1 Before nouns

• With a countable or uncountable noun: some/any, (not) enough, half/all (of), a lot of/lots of, more/most, no, plenty of
• With a countable noun:
a few (= some), few (= almost no), (not) many, one/both (of), each (of), every, either/neither (of), several
• With an uncountable noun:
a little (= at least some), little (= almost none), (not) much, less, the whole
2 Determiner or pronoun?
Most of the words in the above section can be used as determiners (before a noun) or pronouns (on their own).
Most people enjoy sport. (determiner)
Some of your ideas are crazy. (pronoun)
'Which one do you want?' 'Either is OK.' (pronoun)

Notes
• no and every are determiners, never pronouns.
• none is a pronoun, never a determiner.

3 each, every
• We use each to talk about two or more things or people, considered separately:
She held a bag in each hand.
• We use every to refer to all the people or things in a particular group (more than two):
Every road in the centre was blocked. (= all roads)
• In some contexts, we can use each or every interchangeably:
Each/Every person in the group joined in.
• We can use each (not every) as a pronoun:
We each have our own skills. Each of us went our own way.
• We can use each/every + one of:
We played several games and lost each/every one of them.
• Each and every are followed by a singular verb:
Each of us has a job to do.

4 all, both
• We use both to talk about two people, things, etc. together, and emphasise that each is included:
Both films were boring. (determiner)
'Which one shall I buy?' 'Why not get both?' (pronoun)
• We use all to refer to the whole of an amount, thing, or type of thing, or everyone of a number. We don't usually use all as a pronoun on its own:
I haven't seen him all week. (determiner)
"Which one do you like?' 'I like all of them.' (pronoun)

5 the whole (adjective, noun)
We use (the) whole to refer to all of something, often instead of all of:
We wasted the whole day looking for it.
Climate change affects the whole (of the) planet.

6 either, neither
We use either and neither to refer to one or the other of two things or people. Strictly speaking, they are followed by a singular verb, but a plural verb is common in spoken English.
'You can have either tea or coffee.' 'Neither, thank you.'
I wouldn't want to do either of these jobs. Neither of them is very interesting.

7 no, none
No is a determiner, none is a pronoun. In formal English, they are followed by a singular verb, but a plural verb is more common:
'For those who believe, no explanation is necessary. For those who do not, none (= no explanation) will suffice.' None of us is/are perfect. (= not one of us, for a group of three countable nouns or more)

Article or no article?

We don't use an article:
1. to talk about plural and uncountable nouns or when talking about things in general:
I'm terrified of heightsI'm into drum and bass. I hate cheese.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/1113_gramchallenge30/

Article or no article?
This is a complex area and correct use of articles is one of the most difficult things to get right in English. However, there are a few basic ground rules which we can try to follow:

referring to particular 'definite' things or people: we use the
When it is clear to both people in the interaction which things or people are being referred to, we use the:
The children (= our children) must be awake. I can hear John playing the piano in the sitting room (i.e. in our house)
The book you gave me last weekend was so exciting. I couldn't put it down.
When you next go to the supermarket, could you get me some pizza bases?

second or subsequent mention: the
When we refer to something for the first time, we use an indefinite article (a/an) because the person we are talking to knows nothing about it. But when it is recognized or known, we use the:

I saw a squirrel in the garden (= our garden) this morning ~ Was it a red squirrel or a grey squirrel? ~ It was a grey squirrel. I think the squirrel was looking for a nut it had buried under the apple tree (i.e. the apple tree in our garden).

unique objects: the
When we refer to unique aspects of our environment that everybody is familiar with, we use the:
I love listening to the wind and the rain beating on the window panes when I am inside my cottage.
One day I would like to fly to the moon and visit the nearest planets.

categories or groups of people: the
If we are referring to groups of people the is required. Here are some examples:
The homeless are well looked after at Christmas, but not at other times of the year.
The poor may benefit more from the tax change than the better-off.

with superlatives: the
It is normal to insert the before the adjective + noun in superlative sentences as there is only one of its kind in this category:
Jane is quite a good swimmer.
Rachel is a better swimmer.
But Jacky is undoubtedly the best swimmer in the class

seas / rivers / mountain ranges / island groups / deserts : the
I would never swim in the English Channel. It's far too polluted.
Did you see the fireworks on the Thames on the Eve of the New Millenium?
Have you ever been skiing in the Alps?
Would you choose the Leeward Islands or the Windward Islands if you were thinking of a holiday in the Caribbean?
The Gobi Desert is one of the most inhospitable places in the world.

continents / most countries / counties / states / towns / buildings / most streets / lakes / most single mountains : zero article
'Most' in the above listing indicates that there are occasional exceptions to the general rule of no article before examples in these categories. See below:
Cairo is a good example of a city in Egypt where Asia and Africa meet.
The UK, Ireland, the US and Canada are all popular destinations for students of English who want to study overseas.
Buckingham Palace, the main residence of the Queen is located at the end of the Mall in central London
Lake Como has always been popular as a holiday retreat for the English.
Kent and Essex are to the Thames what Lousiana and Mississippi are to the Mississippi river.
Mont Blanc and the Matterhorn are two well-known mountains in the French and Swiss Alps.

things in general: zero article
When we are discussing things in general, we normally use zero article with plural and uncountable nouns:
Formal education in Britain begins when children reach the age of five.
Basketball is more popular in China than football.
Patience and gratitude are qualities which are rarely observed in the youth of today.
But note, when we want to be specific:
The education I received was substandard.
The football played by Liverpool in their last match was awesome.

common expressions: zero article
There are a number of common fixed expressions used with certain prepositions involving everyday time and place nouns where zero article is required:
At university I never bother with lunch, but always eat breakfast and supper. At school I always ate lunch and dinner, but never breakfast.
In Newcastle, you can always get into town late at night and home again by tube, bus or taxi.
Note that the prepositions listed above are often not the only prepositions possible. We can also say e.g. to/at/into/from church and to/in/into/out of bed/prison.

-ing form

'- ING' FORM
the gerund
This looks exactly the same as a present participle, and for this reason it is now common to call both forms 'the -ing form'. However it is useful to understand the difference between the two. The gerund always has the same function as a noun (although it looks like a verb), so it can be used:
a. as the subject of the sentence:
Eating people is wrong.
Hunting elephants is dangerous.
Flying makes me nervous.
b. as the complement of the verb 'to be':
One of his duties is attending meetings.
The hardest thing about learning English is understanding the gerund.
One of life's pleasures is having breakfast in bed.
c. after prepositions. The gerund must be used when a verb comes after a preposition:
Can you sneeze without opening your mouth?
She is good at painting.
They're keen on windsurfing.
She avoided him by walking on the opposite side of the road.
We arrived in Madrid after driving all night.
My father decided against postponing his trip to Hungary.
This is also true of certain expressions ending in a preposition, e.g. in spite of, there's no point in..:
There's no point in waiting.
In spite of missing the train, we arrived on time.
d. after a number of 'phrasal verbs' which are composed of a verb + preposition/adverb
Example:to look forward to, to give up, to be for/against, to take to, to put off, to keep on:
I look forward to hearing from you soon. (at the end of a letter)
When are you going to give up smoking?
She always puts off going to the dentist.
He kept on asking for money.
NOTE: There are some phrasal verbs and other expressions that include the word 'to' as a preposition, not as part of a to-infinitive: - to look forward to, to take to, to be accustomed to, to be used to. It is important to recognise that 'to' is a preposition in these cases, as it must be followed by a gerund:
We are looking forward to seeing you.
I am used to waiting for buses.
She didn't really take to studying English.
It is possible to check whether 'to’ is a preposition or part of a to-infinitive: if you can put a noun or the pronoun 'it' after it, then it is a preposition and must be followed by a gerund:
I am accustomed to it (the cold).
I am accustomed to being cold.
e. in compound nouns
Example:
a driving lesson, a swimming pool, bird-watching, train-spotting
It is clear that the meaning is that of a noun, not of a continuous verb.
Example:
the pool is not swimming, it is a pool for swimming in.
f. after the expressions:
can't help, can't stand, it's no use/good, and the adjective worth:
The elephant couldn't help falling in love with the mouse.
I can't stand being stuck in traffic jams.
It's no use/good trying to escape.
It might be worth phoning the station to check the time of the train.

Verbs followed by the gerund or infinitive

GERUND OR INFINITIVE?
A. Verbs where there is little or no difference in meaning:
allow attempt begin bother cease continue deserve fear* hate* intend* like love
neglect omit permit prefer* recommend* start
Notes:
1. Allow is used in these two patterns:
a. Allow + object + to-infinitive:Her parents allowed her to go to the party.
b. Allow + gerund:Her parents don't allow smoking in the house.

2. Deserve + gerund is not very common, but is mainly used with passive constructions or where there is a passive meaning:
a. Your proposals deserve being considered in detail.
b. These ideas deserve discussing. (= to be discussed).

3. The verbs hate, love, like, prefer are usually followed by a gerund when the meaning is general, and by a to-infinitive when they refer to a particular time or situation.
You must always use the to-infinitive with the expressions 'would love to', 'would hate to', etc.
Compare:
I hate to tell you, but Uncle Jim is coming this weekend.
I hate looking after elderly relatives!
I love dancing.
I would love to dance with you.

B:Verbs where there is a clear difference in meaning:
Verbs marked with an asterisk* can also be followed by a that-clause.
come forget* go on mean* regret* remember* stop try
NOTES:
Come:
Come + gerund is like other verbs of movement followed by the gerund, and means that the subject is doing something as they move:
She came running across the field.
Come + to-infinitive means that something happens or develops, perhaps outside the subject's control:
At first I thought he was crazy, but I've come to appreciate his sense of humour.
How did you come to be outside the wrong house?
This word has come to mean something quite different.

Forget, regret and remember:
When these verbs are followed by a gerund, the gerund refers to an action that happened earlier:
I remember locking the door (= I remember now, I locked the door earlier)
He regretted speaking so rudely. (= he regretted at some time in the past, he had spoken rudely at some earlier time in the past.)
Forget is frequently used with 'never' in the simple future form:
I'll never forget meeting the Queen.
When these verbs are followed by a to-infinitive, the infinitive refers to an action happening at the same time, or later:
I remembered to lock the door (= I thought about it, then I did it.)
Don't forget to buy some eggs! (= Please think about it and then do it.)
We regret to announce the late arrival of the 12.45 from Paddington. (= We feel sorry before we tell you this bad news.)
Go on:
Go on + gerund means to continue with an action:
He went on speaking for two hours.
I can't go on working like this - I'm exhausted.
Go on + to-infinitive means to do the next action, which is often the next stage in a process:
After introducing her proposal, she went on to explain the benefits for the company.
John Smith worked in local government for five years, then went on to become a Member of Parliament.
Mean:
Mean + gerund expresses what the result of an action will be, or what will be necessary:
If you take that job in London it will mean travelling for two hours every day.
We could take the ferry to France, but that will mean spending a night in a hotel.
Mean + to-infinitive expresses an intention or a plan:
Did you mean to dial this number?
I mean to finish this job by the end of the week!
Sorry - I didn't mean to hurt you.
Stop:
Stop + gerund means to finish an action in progress:
I stopped working for them because the wages were so low.Stop tickling me!
Stop + to-infinitive means to interrupt an activity in order to do something else, so the infinitive is used to express a purpose:
I stopped to have lunch. (= I was working, or travelling, and I interrupted what I was doing in order to eat.)
It's difficult to concentrate on what you are doing if you have to stop to answer the phone every five minutes.
Try:
Try + gerund means to experiment with an action that might be a solution to your problem.
If you have problems sleeping, you could try doing some yoga before you go to bed, or you could try drinking some warm milk.
'I can't get in touch with Carl.' 'Have you tried e-mailing him?'
Try + to-infinitive means to make an effort to do something. It may be something very difficult or even impossible:
The surgeons tried to save his life but he died on the operating table.
We'll try to phone at 6 o'clock, but it might be hard to find a public telephone.
Elephants and mice have to try to live together in harmony.

verb,object + infinitive

http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/radio/specials/107_gramchallenge45/

The zero infinitive

The zero infinitive is used:
a. after most auxiliaries (e.g. must, can, should, may, might)
b. after verbs of perception, (e.g. see, hear, feel) with the pattern verb + object + zero infinitive
c. after the verbs 'make' and 'let', with the pattern make/let + object + zero infinitive
d. after the expression 'had better'
e. after the expression 'would rather' when referring to the speaker's own actions
Examples:
After auxiliaries:
She can't speak to you.
He should give her some money.
Shall I talk to him?
Would you like a cup of coffee?
I might stay another night in the hotel.
They must leave before 10.00 a.m.

After verbs of perception:
He saw her fall from the cliff.
We heard them close the door.
They saw us walk toward the lake.
She felt the spider crawl up her leg.

After the verbs 'make' and 'let':
Her parents let her stay out late.
Let's go to the cinema tonight.
You made me love you.
Don't make me study that boring grammar book!

NOTICE that the 'to-infinitive' is used when 'make' is in the passive voice:
I am made to sweep the floor every day.
She was made to eat fish even though she hated it.

After 'had better':
We had better take some warm clothing.She had better ask him not to come.You'd better not smile at a crocodile!We had better reserve a room in the hotel.You'd better give me your address.They had better work harder on their grammar!

After 'would rather':

I would rather visit Rome.
She would rather live in Italy.
Would you rather eat steak or fish?
He would rather work in a bank.
I'd rather be a forest than a tree.

Other forms of the infinitive

OTHER FORMS
The perfect infinitive
The continuous infinitive
The perfect continuous infinitive
The passive infinitive

NOTE: as with the present infinitive, there are situations where the to is omitted, e.g. after most modal auxiliaries.

The perfect infinitive:
to have + past participle, e.g. to have broken, to have seen, to have saved.
This form is most commonly found in Type 3 conditional sentences, using the conditional perfect, e.g. If I had known you were coming I would have baked a cake.

Examples:
Someone must have broken the window and climbed in.
I would like to have seen the Taj Mahal when I was in India.
He pretended to have seen the film.
If I'd seen the ball I would have caught it.

The continuous infinitive:
to be + present participle, e.g.to be swimming, to be joking, to be waiting

Examples:
I'd really like to be swimming in a nice cool pool right now.
You must be joking!
I happened to be waiting for the bus when the accident happened.

The perfect continuous infinitive:
to have been + present participle

Examples:
to have been cryingto have been waitingto have been painting
The woman seemed to have been crying.
You must have been waiting for hours!
He pretended to have been painting all day.

The passive infinitive:
to be + past participle, e.g. to be given, to be shut, to be opened

Examples:
I am expecting to be given a pay-rise next month.
These doors should be shut.
This window ought to be opened.

THE TO-INFINITIVE

The most common uses of the infinitive are:

To indicate the purpose or intention of an action (where the 'to' has the same meaning as 'in order to' or 'so as to'):
She's gone to collect her pay cheque.
The three bears went into the forest to find firewood.

As the subject of the sentence:
To be or not to be, that is the question.
To know her is to love her.(Note: this is more common in written English than spoken)

With nouns or pronouns, to indicate what something can be used for, or what is to be done with it:
Would you like something to drink?
I haven't anything to wear.
The children need a garden to play in.

After adjectives in these patterns:
It is + adjective +to-infinitive It is good to talk
It is + adjective + infinitive + for someone + to-infinitive. It is hard for elephants to see mice
It is + adjective + infintive + of someone + to-infinitive. It is unkind of her to say that.
After an adjective + noun when a comment or judgement is being made:

It was a stupid place to park the car.
This is the right thing to do.
It was an astonishing way to behave.

With too and enough in these patterns:
too much/many (+ noun) + to-infinitive There's too much sugar to put in this bowl. I had too many books to carry.
too + adjective + to-infinitive This soup is too hot to eat.She was too tired to work.
too + adverb + to-infinitive He arrived too late to see the actors.
enough (+ noun) + to-infinitive I've had enough (food) to eat.
adjective + enough + to-infinitive She's old enough to make up her own mind.
not enough (+noun) + to-infinitive There isn't enough snow to ski on.
not + adjective + enough + to-infinitive You're not old enough to have grand-children!

INFINITIVE AFTER QUESTION WORDS

These verbs: ask, decide, explain, forget, know, show, tell, understand, can be followed by a question word such as where, how, what, who, when or 'whether' + the 'to-infinitive'.

Examples:
She asked me how to use the washing machine.
Do you understand what to do?
Tell me when to press the button.
I've forgotten where to put this little screw.
I can't decide whether to wear the red dress or the black one.

The question word Why is followed by the zero infinitive in suggestions:

Examples:
Why wait until tomorrow?
Why not ask him now?
Why walk when we can go in the car?
Why not buy a new bed for your bedroom?
Why leave before the end of the game?
Why not spend a week in Beirut and a week in Baghdad?

NEGATIVE INFINITIVE
To form the negative infinitive, place not before the to- or zero infinitive:e.g. not to worry:
It's hard not to worry about exams.

Examples:
I decided not to go to London.
He asked me not to be late.
Elephants ought not to marry mice.
You'd better not smile at the crocodile.
I'd rather not eat meat.

EXAMPLES OF VERBS NORMALLY FOLLOWED BY THE INFINITIVE

We've chosen John to represent the company at the conference.
The elephant didn't mean to tread on the mouse.
We expect you to do your best in the exam.
Do you want to go to the beach?
Do you want me to go with you to the beach?
You are requested to be quiet in this library.


He claimed to be an expert.
I managed to reach the top of the hill.
I know you're only pretending to love me!
Don't pretend that you know the answer.
She failed to explain the problem clearly.
The customs man demanded to search our luggage.
I can't afford to go out tonight.


The professor challenged his students to argue with his theory.
This law empowers the government to charge more taxes.
You can't force me to do something I don't agree with.
You are obliged to drive on the left in England.
I invited the new student to have dinner with me.
What inspired you to write this poem?
The elephant told the mouse to climb up his tail.

Expressions with a future meaning

be TO + INFINITIVE

This form refers to an obligation to do something at a time later than now. It is similar to 'must', but there is a suggestion that something has been arranged or organized for us. It is not normally used in spoken English, but might be found in spy stories,
e.g. "You are to leave this room at once, and you are to travel by train to London. In London you are to pick up your ticket from Mr Smith, and you are to fly to your destination alone. When you arrive, you are to meet our agent, Mr X, who will give you further information. You are to destroy this message now."

To talk about official, formal arrangements, e.g in a radio commentary.
“ The prince is to meet everyone concerned with the charity.

2. be due to+ the infinitive (expect to happen at a particular time)
The ceremony is due to start at 9 a.m.

3. For events that will happen very soon.
Be about to + infinitive e.g. She looks as if she’s (just) about to burst into tears.
Be on the point/verge of +-ing/noun The talks were on the point/verge of collapsing/collapse

4. to talk about probability
Be likely/unlikely to + infinitive/ expect (somebody/something) to+ infinitive
The country is likely to get poorer next year/We expect the country to get poorer

5. To talk about certainty
Be bound/sure to + infinitive Don’t lie to him. He’s bound/sure to find out.

Future perfect/future perfect continuous

FUTURE PERFECT

The future perfect refers to a completed action in the future. When we use this tense we are projecting ourselves forward into the future and looking back at an action that will be completed some time later than now.It is often used with a time expression using by + a point in future time.
Examples:
a. I'll have been here for six months on June 23rd.
b. By the time you read this I'll have left.
c. You will have finished your work by this time next week.

FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS

Like the future perfect simple, this form is used to project ourselves forward in time and to look back. It refers to events or actions in a time between now and some future time, that may be unfinished.
a. I will have been waiting here for three hours by six o'clock.
b. By 2001 I will have been living here for sixteen years.
c. By the time I finish this course, I will have been learning English for twenty years.
d. Next year I will have been working here for four years.

Simple future function

The simple future is used:

a. to predict a future event: It will rain tomorrow.
b. (with I/we) to express a spontaneous decision: I'll pay for the tickets by credit card.
c. to express willingness: I'll do the washing-up. He'll carry your bag for you.
d. (in the negative form) to express unwillingness: The baby won't eat his soup. I won't leave until I've seen the manager!
e. (with I in the interrogative form) to make an offer: Shall I open the window?
f. (with we in the interrogative form) to make a suggestion: Shall we go to the cinema tonight?
g. (with I in the interrogative form) to ask for advice or instructions: What shall I tell the boss about this money?
h. (with you) to give orders: You will do exactly as I say.
i. (with you) to give an invitation: Will you come to the dance with me?Will you marry me?

NOTE: In modern English will is preferred to shall.

Shall is mainly used with I and we to make an offer or suggestion (see examples (e) and (f) above, or to ask for advice (example (g) above).With the other persons (you, he, she, they) shall is only used in literary or poetic situations, e.g.

"With rings on her fingers and bells on her toes, She shall have music wherever she goes."