Definition / Explanation
Some verbs are commonly followed by to + verb. At this level, important examples include want, need, hope, plan, and decide. The second verb does not change for person or tense in this pattern. For example, we say She wants to leave, not She wants leaves. Learning these patterns as chunks helps you build correct sentences more easily.
Key Rules
- Use want + to + verb: I want to leave.
- Use need + to + verb: We need to talk.
- Use decide + to + verb: They decided to stay.
- The second verb stays in the base form after to.
- Learn this pattern as part of each verb.
Examples
- I want to leave.
- They decided to stay.
- We need to talk.
- She plans to study abroad.
- He hopes to find a new job.
Common Mistakes
- ❌ I want leave. -> ✅ I want to leave.
- ❌ They decided staying. -> ✅ They decided to stay.
- ❌ We need talk. -> ✅ We need to talk.