CoCap
CoCap
14 structures · CEFR A2–B2
When one verb follows another, English decides between "to go", "going" and plain "go", and the choice belongs to the FIRST verb, not to the second. Want takes "to", enjoy takes "-ing", and make takes neither. There is no rule that predicts it, which is exactly why it has to be learned as a pattern per verb rather than reasoned out mid-sentence.
Every one of these is a sentence Indian-English speakers genuinely produce — not a textbook example.
| Commonly said | Correct English |
|---|---|
I enjoy to read. | I enjoy reading. "Enjoy" always takes -ing. Gerunds & infinitives → |
Please switch off it. | Please switch it off. A pronoun goes in the middle, not at the end. Phrasal verbs → |
I cut my hair yesterday. | I had my hair cut yesterday. Unless you cut it yourself, use "had it cut". Causatives (have it done) → |
I decided going by train. | I decided to go by train. "Decide" takes "to", not -ing. Verb + to + verb → |
He suggested to go early. | He suggested going early. "Suggest" takes -ing — this is one of the commonest slips at work. Verb + -ing → |
I stopped to smoke last year — I am much healthier now. | I stopped smoking last year — I am much healthier now. "Stopped to smoke" means you paused in order to smoke; quitting is "stopped smoking". stop doing or stop to do? → |
I want that you come early. | I want you to come early. English says "want you to come" — "want that" is a direct translation from Hindi. want somebody to do something → |
She let me to use her phone. | She let me use her phone. "Let" never takes "to" — but "allowed me to use" would be correct. make / let / help → |
Grouped by CEFR band so you can start where you actually are, rather than at the top.
3 structures at this level.
5 structures at this level.
6 structures at this level.
Dimmed tiles are structures whose example bank is still being written. The explanation and the mistake are there; the sentences are not, yet.
CoCap turns verb patterns into practice you can actually do: a Hindi sentence, your English answer, and one correction at a time.
Practise this, free →