Collins Cobuild

Unit 72
Verbs with other clauses
Main points
‘Make’ and ‘let’ can be followed by an object and a base form.
Some verbs of perception can be followed by an object and an ‘-ing’
clause, or an object and a base form.
‘Have’ and ‘get’ can be followed by an object and a past participle.
‘Dare’ is followed by a ‘to’-infinitive clause or a base form.
1
 You  can  use  an  object  and  a  base  form  after  ‘make’  to  say  that  one
person causes another person to do something, or after ‘let’ to say they
allow them to do something.
My father made me go for the interview.
Jenny let him talk.
2
Some verbs of perception are used with an object and an ‘-ing’ clause if
an action is unfinished or continues over a period of time, and with an
object and a base form if the action is finished.
feel
hear
see
watch
He heard a distant voice shouting.
Dr Hochstadt heard her gasp.

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You normally use an ‘-ing’ clause after ‘notice’, ‘observe’, ‘smell’, and
‘understand’.
I could smell Chinese vegetables cooking.
We can understand them wanting to go.
3
You can use an object and a past participle after ‘have’ or ‘get’, when
you  want  to  say  that  someone  arranges  for  something  to  be  done.
‘Have’ is slightly more formal.
We’ve just had the house decorated.
We must get the car repaired.
You also use ‘have’ and ‘get’ with an object and a past participle to say
that something happens to someone, especially if it is unpleasant.
She had her purse stolen.
He got his car broken into at the weekend.
4
You use ‘have’ followed by an object and an ‘-ing’ clause, or an object
and  a  past  participle,  when  you  want  to  say  that  someone  causes
something to happen, either intentionally or unintentionally.
Alan had me looking for that book all day.
He had me utterly confused.
5
You use ‘want’ and ‘would like’ with an object and a past participle to
indicate that you want something to be done.
I want the work finished by January 1st.
How would you like your hair cut, sir?
6
 ‘Dare’  can  be  followed  by  a  ‘to’-infinitive  clause  or  a  base  form  in
negative or interrogative sentences:
• when there is an auxiliary or modal before ‘dare’
He did not dare to walk to the village.

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What bank would dare offer such terms?
• when you use the form ‘dares’ or ‘dared’ (but not ‘dares not’ or ‘dared
not’)
No one dares disturb him.
No other manager dared to compete.
You must use a base form in:
•  negative  or  interrogative  sentences  without  an  auxiliary  or  modal
before ‘dare’
I daren’t ring Jeremy again.
Nobody dare disturb him.
Dare she go in?
• negative sentences with ‘dares not’ or ‘dared not’
He dares not risk it.
Sonny dared not disobey.
Note that the phrase ‘how dare you’ is always followed by a base form.
How dare you speak to me like that?
‘Dare’ is rarely used in affirmative sentences.

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