Verb patterns are the common structures that follow a verb and complete its meaning. Many verbs cannot stand alone with only a subject because they need a complement such as an object, an adjective, or another verb form. Learning patterns helps you choose the correct grammar after each verb and avoid unnatural sentences. A verb’s pattern is part of its meaning and is often fixed for that verb.

A complement is information that completes the verb’s meaning and makes the sentence grammatical or complete in sense. Complements can be noun phrases, adjective phrases, prepositional phrases, or verb forms like to-infinitives and -ing forms. Some complements are required by the verb, while others are optional and add extra detail. In this topic, complements are about what the verb allows or requires, not about extra time or place information.

Intransitive verbs do not take a direct object, so they usually follow the pattern Subject + Verb. They can still be followed by optional adverbials or prepositional phrases that add information, but those are not direct objects. Common intransitive verbs often describe states, movement, or events. If you add a direct object after a purely intransitive verb, the result is ungrammatical.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Rule: No direct object after the verb	✅ 规则：动词后没有直接宾语	Example: She laughed loudly.	🧾 示例：她大声地笑了。
Rule: A prepositional phrase may follow without being an object	✅ 规则：介词短语可以跟随而不成为宾语	Example: They arrived at noon.	🧾 示例：他们在正午到达。
Rule: Some verbs are intransitive in one meaning but not in another	✅ 规则：某些动词在一种意思下是不及物的，但在另一种意思下不是	Example: He runs every day.	🧾 示例：他每天跑步。

Transitive verbs require a direct object to complete their meaning, following the pattern Subject + Verb + Object. The object is typically a noun phrase or pronoun that answers what or whom after the verb. Without the object, the sentence may be incomplete or change meaning. Some verbs can be both transitive and intransitive depending on meaning and context.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Rule: A direct object is required	✅ 规则：需要直接宾语	Example: She opened the door.	🧾 示例：她打开了门。
Rule: Object can be a pronoun or noun phrase	✅ 规则：宾语可以是代词或名词短语	Example: I need it.	🧾 示例：我需要它。
Rule: Some verbs allow object omission in limited contexts	✅ 规则：某些动词在有限的语境下允许省略宾语	Example: Have you eaten yet?	🧾 示例：你吃过了吗？

Some verbs commonly take two objects: an indirect object and a direct object, often for giving, sending, or telling. The indirect object is usually a person who receives something, and it often comes before the direct object. English can also express the indirect object with a prepositional phrase, typically with to or for. The choice depends on the verb and what sounds natural with the object types.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Rule: Indirect object often comes before direct object	✅ 规则：间接宾语通常在直接宾语之前出现	Example: She gave him a key.	🧾 示例：她给了他一把钥匙。
Rule: Alternative pattern uses a preposition	✅ 规则：替代模式使用介词	Example: She gave a key to him.	🧾 示例：她把钥匙给了他。
Rule: Some verbs prefer the preposition pattern with long objects	✅ 规则：某些动词在带有较长宾语的情形下偏好介词短语表达	Example: She explained the problem to everyone in the room.	🧾 示例：她把问题解释给房间里的每个人。

Some verbs take an object plus an additional complement that describes or identifies that object. This complement can be an adjective phrase or a noun phrase, and it completes the meaning by saying what the object is or becomes. These patterns are common with verbs of naming, making, considering, and finding. The object complement is not a separate object; it refers to the same thing as the object.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Rule: Object + adjective complement describes the object	✅ 规则：宾语 + 形容词性补语描述宾语	Example: The news made her anxious.	🧾 示例：这条新闻让她感到焦虑。
Rule: Object + noun complement identifies the object	✅ 规则：宾语 + 名词性补语用来识别宾语	Example: They elected her president.	🧾 示例：他们选她为总统。
Rule: Complement refers to the object, not the subject	✅ 规则：补语指代宾语，而非主语	Example: I found the plan risky.	🧾 示例：我发现这个计划很危险。

Linking verbs connect the subject to a subject complement, usually an adjective phrase or a noun phrase. They do not describe an action that transfers to an object; instead they describe a state, identity, or change. The most common linking verb is be, but many verbs of change and perception also work this way. After a linking verb, the complement describes the subject, not an object.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Rule: Subject + linking verb + subject complement	✅ 规则：主语 + 系动词 + 主语补语	Example: The soup smells delicious.	🧾 示例：汤闻起来很美味。
Rule: Complement can be an adjective or noun phrase	✅ 规则：补语可以是形容词短语或名词短语	Example: He became a doctor.	🧾 示例：他成了一名医生。
Rule: No direct object in linking patterns	✅ 规则：系动词结构中没有直接宾语	Example: She seems tired.	🧾 示例：她看起来很疲倦。

Many verbs can be followed by a to-infinitive complement, often to express intention, decision, refusal, or willingness. The pattern may be Verb + to-infinitive or Verb + object + to-infinitive, depending on the main verb. In the object version, the object is typically the person who will do the infinitive action. The to-infinitive acts as a complement, not as a purpose phrase added on separately.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Rule: Verb + to-infinitive is common after decision verbs	✅ 规则：动词 + 不定式在决定动词之后很常见	Example: She decided to leave.	🧾 示例：她决定离开。
Rule: Some verbs use object + to-infinitive	✅ 规则：某些动词使用对象 + 不定式	Example: They asked him to help.	🧾 示例：他们请他帮忙。
Rule: The object is the understood subject of the infinitive	✅ 规则：宾语是对不定式隐含的主语	Example: I want you to listen.	🧾 示例：我想让你听。

Some verbs take an -ing form as their complement, often to describe activities, habits, or experiences. The -ing complement can function like a noun phrase, and it may appear with or without an object depending on the verb. Certain verbs strongly prefer -ing rather than a to-infinitive, and the choice is part of the verb’s pattern. The -ing form here is a complement required by the verb, not just a descriptive participle.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Rule: Some verbs require an -ing complement	✅ 规则：某些动词需要一个 -ing 补语	Example: He avoided talking about it.	🧾 示例：他避免谈论它。
Rule: Enjoy, finish, suggest commonly take -ing	✅ 规则：喜欢、完成、建议等常用 -ing	Example: We enjoyed walking by the river.	🧾 示例：我们喜欢沿河边散步。
Rule: -ing complement can take its own object	✅ 规则：-ing 补语也可以带有自己的宾语	Example: She considered buying a car.	🧾 示例：她在考虑买一辆车。

Many verbs take a clause as a complement to report thoughts, speech, perceptions, or facts. These complements may be that-clauses, wh-clauses, or if and whether clauses, depending on meaning. The clause functions as what is said, thought, known, or asked, and it completes the verb. In informal English, that is often omitted, but the clause pattern remains the same.

Rule	🇨🇳 中文 规则	Example	🇨🇳 中文 示例
Rule: That-clause reports statements or beliefs	✅ 规则：that 从句用于陈述或信念的报道	Example: She said that she was ready.	🧾 示例：她说她准备好了。
Rule: Wh-clause reports questions or unknown information	✅ 规则：wh 从句用于报道问题或未知信息	Example: I don’t know what he wants.	🧾 示例：我不知道他想要什么。
Rule: If or whether clause expresses uncertainty or alternatives	✅ 规则：if 或 whether 从句表达不确定性或选择	Example: They asked whether we could come.	🧾 示例：他们问我们是否能来。