Verb + TO-infinitive (range) – English Grammar Profiler

This is another grammar post that is better dealt with as vocabulary.  In the English Grammar Profile (EGP), A2 point 25 in VERBs/patterns is defined:

increasing range of verbs followed by a ‘to’-infinitive.

The EGP A2 examples include:

In the English Vocabulary Profile,

hope to do sth = B1 to intend to do something

B1 Point 43 in VERBS/patterns is defined as:

a wide range of verbs followed by a ‘to-‘ infinitive

Two examples of ‘wide range’ from the EGP are:

‘decided to change’
‘seems to be’

The English Vocabulary Profile offers much more detail when it comes to ‘range’ points.  For example:

Who is it that I aspire to be?

listen to this C2 example

Adrenaline leaves and your mind just starts to wander.

13 Hours

An iWeb search for:

_V _TO _V

1 GOING TO BE 1070119 A2 future

It‘s going to be OK.

listen

2 NEED TO BE 940152 A1 in the EVP

We need to be a little more constructive here. Okay?

listen

*However, the negative form of the main verb is A2 in the EVP:

I can’t stop you, but I sure as heck don’t need to be a part of this.

listen

3 HAVE TO BE 703945 4 NEEDS TO BE 543843

5 WANT TO BE 507853

6 SEEMS TO BE 500367 (same as EGP example)

PELIC STUDENT:

This job seems to be gorgeous on the surface, but I believe it’s a really difficult job.

Japanese, Female, Level 3, Writing Class

7 HAS TO BE 367563 8 HAVE TO DO 344202 9 SEEM TO BE 322764 10 IS TO BE 308533 11 NEED TO DO 299088 12 NEED TO KNOW 289891 13 WANT TO DO 288434 14 WANT TO MAKE 269476 15 WANT TO GET 237468

16 GOING TO HAVE 237403

17 APPEARS TO BE 237075

Japanese, Female, 4, w

I think that there appears to be a difference between their definition of success and mine.

*note the complexity gets hidden by the other B1 grammar.

18 USED TO BE 234916 19 HAD TO BE 232624 20 WANT TO KNOW 221231 21 TRYING TO GET 216776 22 WANT TO SEE 215955 23 NEED TO GET 192169 24 WANT TO USE 190856 25 GOING TO GET 188247 26 NEED TO MAKE 188201 27 WANT TO GO 180317 28 HAVE TO GO 177010 29 NEED TO HAVE 175694 30 TEND TO BE 175552 31 HAVE TO SAY 172569 32 GOING TO DO 168842 33 HAVE TO PAY 168416

34 APPEAR TO BE 162362

35 SEEMS TO HAVE 162241 36 LIKE TO SEE 161066

37 WANT TO HAVE 149452

38 EXPECTED TO BE 146581

Chinese,Male,5,w

Although it was expected to be hot in June , that Saturday was so hot that I felt I even could not breathe.

*hidden under C1 grammar

39 CONSIDERED TO BE 141434

Japanese,Female,5,w

The jury duty can rob jurors of their time. This duty is considered to be the responsibility of citizens and is supposed to be approved by the society.

*the grammar is hidden behind other B1 grammar. 

40 SEEM TO HAVE 139829 41 HAVE TO MAKE 132597 42 ARE TO BE 130556

43 CONTINUE TO BE 128578

44 GET TO KNOW 127828 45 HAVE TO WAIT 126125 46 HAVE TO WORRY 124128 47 WANT TO TAKE 124029 48 IS TO MAKE 122898

49 MEANT TO BE 120866

50 NEED TO TAKE 118790 51 HAS TO OFFER 117266 52 SEEMED TO BE 115993 53 DESIGNED TO BE 112954 54 NEED TO USE 112890 55 HAVE TO GET 112028 56 HAVE TO HAVE 111749 57 HAVE TO TAKE 110408 58 GOING TO MAKE 108793 59 SAID TO BE 108712 60 TRYING TO FIND 108275 61 IS TO USE 107635 62 TRYING TO MAKE 105578 63 WANTED TO BE 105532 64 TRY TO GET 103519 65 NEEDED TO BE 103042 66 WANT TO KEEP 101278 67 HAD TO DO 99685 68 IS TO PROVIDE 98154 (not first verb) 69 GOING TO TAKE 98050 70 IS TO GET 96010 71 GOING TO GO 94678

72 NEED TO GO 93897

I think I need to go to the toilet.

listen

73 WANTED TO DO 93361 74 HAVE TO USE 92033 75 WAS TO BE 91315 76 FOUND TO BE 90939 77 LIKE TO BE 88840 78 IS TO HAVE 88603 79 HAS TO DO 87092 80 LIKE TO KNOW 86630 81 TRYING TO DO 85464 82 GOING TO HAPPEN 85367 83 BELIEVED TO BE 83984 84 TRYING TO FIGURE 82218 (‘figure’ is not the first verb) 85 CONTINUES TO BE 81368

86 PROVED TO BE 81095

87 DESIGNED TO HELP 80812 88 WANT TO TRY 80336 89 USED TO MAKE 79746 90 WANT TO GIVE 78788 91 NEED TO FIND 75174 92 HAD TO GO 75167 93 WANTS TO BE 75084 94 TRY TO MAKE 73971 95 THOUGHT TO BE 73970 96 WANTED TO MAKE 73171 97 LIKE TO HAVE 72160 98 WANT TO LEARN 71979 99 WANT TO ADD 71229

100 TENDS TO BE 70350

B1 vocabulary:

appear, appears, considered, continue, continues, expected, get to know, meant to, proved, seem, seemed, seems, used to

Listen to these expert examples:

The Colosseum has begun to fill, final preparations are under way.

Speed Racer

However, yesterday, these men managed to cast their vote for Evelyn Tracy.

Black Sheep