How to use: Like, Want, Need.

Did you know that Like, Want, Need have their own rules in English?

Like many verbs in English, Like, Want, and Need have to follow certain rules when being used with a verb. Here is a simple way to remember them:

 

                                 Noun      Full Infinitive    Verb-ing

 

• Like                   X                     X                      X

 

• Want                 X                    X

 

• Need                 X                    X

 

Following the chart, possible combinations with LIKE:

Like + Noun

1. I like pizza
2. She likes dogs
3. We liked the house a lot.

Like + Full Infinitive (to+verb)

1. I like to eat pizza.
2. She likes to wash the dogs.
3. He liked to cook for me.

Like + Verb-ing

1. I like eating pizza.
2. She likes washing the dogs.
3. He liked cooking for me.

~ Note: Many confuse the “verb-ing” with the Progressive Tense – this is a common mistake with Spanish and Portuguese speakers. Progressive Tense requires the verb “To Be” in order for it to have the Progressive meaning. (subject + to be + verb-ing)

For example:

I am eating pizza (at this moment, currently, temporary action)
DOES NOT MEAN THE SAME AS: I like eating pizza (I like to eat pizza.)

Possible combinations with Want:

Want + Noun

1. I want a pet reptile for my birthday.
2. She wants ice cream
3. They wanted pizza instead of sushi.

 

Want + Full Infinitive (to+verb)

1. I want to have a reptile pet.
2. She wants to eat ice cream.
3. They wanted to buy pizza instead of sushi.

If you say:

I want to eating ice cream – This is INCORRECT. Want + Verb-ing is Incorrect. In order to use Want with a Verb, the Verbs HAS TO BE in Full Infinitive FORM. ALWAYS.
Possible combinations with Need:

Need + Noun

1. I need a cup of coffee every morning
2. He needs a new notebook for school
3. They needed blankets for the cold.

Need + Full Infinitive (to+verb)

1. I need to have a cup of coffee every morning.
2. He needs to buy a new notebook for school.
3. They needed to use blankets for the cold.

The rule is the same for Need.

If you say:

I need to having a cup of coffee every morning – This is INCORRECT. Need + Verb-ing is Incorrect. In order to use Want with a Verb, the Verbs HAS TO BE in Full Infinitive FORM. ALWAYS.

 

~ Practice writing sentence using the chart. I promise it will make using these verbs a lot easier. Thanks for reading! If you would like to see more posts about verbs that follow gerunds and infinitives, let me know in the comments.

 

 

Commonly Confused Words in English, Part 1.

There are many word pairs that look and sound alike  but have completely different meanings which can be confusing while learning English.  Learning a few essential words at a time will help you towards English fluency. This is part one. Enjoy!

Accept vs Except

Accept (verb) is to take something offered; receive with approval. For example: Maria accepted his apology.

Except (preposition) is when something is not included. For example: He works everyday except Saturdays.

Dead vs Died

Dead (adjective) describes a noun that is not alive. For example: The dead dog was hit by a car.

Died (verb) is the past tense and past participle of To Die. For example: My neighbor died last night of a heart attack. (Simple past)

Advice vs Advise

Advice (noun) is a recommendation. For example: I gave him advice, but he won’t listen.

Advise (verb) means to recommend. For example: I advise you to study for the exam.

Compliment vs Complement

Compliment (noun) is an expression of praise or admiration. For example: I received many compliments for my new haircut.

Complement (noun) is an addition to something, usually to improve or perfect. For example: Ketchup is a must-have complement for french fries.

Dessert vs Desert

Dessert (noun) is the sweet course of a meal. For example: Let’s have chocolate ice cream for dessert.

Desert (noun) is a very dry, hot, waterless region. For example: The Sahara is the world’s largest hot desert.

 

What are some example sentences you can think of?

To or For?

Prepositions can be tricky. They can be even trickier when you are learning English. One preposition can have several different functions, and translating in your native language can change the meaning of the sentence depending on the context; which is why translation is usually not possible. In today’s lesson, we will take a look at the prepositions To and For. These tiny words make up a big part of the sentence’s meaning and get confused a lot amongst each other; so when do you use To and when do you use For?

First, let’s focus on TO:

MOVEMENT

To is used when indicating the direction of something or when someone or something is moving from one place to another.

Examples:

We walk to school every day.

She’s flying to New York this month.

They are going to the beach.

Talk to your boss tomorrow if you have a question.

The package was mailed to Mr. Johnson today.

Send it back to me.

I sold my laptop to her.

REASON

To is used to give a reason or a motive.

Examples:

I came here to see you.     

* Note: to see is a full infinitive (to+verb)

TELLING TIME

To is used for giving time with minutes and the hour.

Example:

It’s quarter to four. (3:45)

To is also used to mark the end of a period of time, always used with the preposition from indicating the beginning of a time.

Example:

He studies English from Monday to Friday.

 
When to use FOR:

DURATION

For is used to indicate the length of an activity.

Examples:

He studied French for 3 years.

She has been famous for many decades.

That is all I have to do for today.

 
USE

For is used to indicate the use of something in particular.

Example:
This room is for student presentations.

REASON

For is also used to a) give a reason or motive, or b) to indicate benefit done for something or someone.

Examples:

a) Let’s go out for a drink tonight.

    We are so happy for you!

    I baked a cake for her birthday.

    Sara has been studying for her final exam.

    He put a note on his door for privacy.

     I am sorry for your loss.

b) Bananas are good for your digestion.

    I bought this gift for you.

    She exercises every day for her health.

SCHEDULE

For is used when scheduling an activity.

Examples:

We made a doctor’s appointment for March 10th.

I rescheduled my meeting for Tuesday.

 

As you can see above, both TO and FOR are used for a reason or motive. Here are other examples to compare:

Example:

She came to Peru to work.

She came to Peru for a new job.

* Notice that TO follows a verb and FOR follows a noun (job).

Example:

My best friend brought lunch to me.

In this sentence, my best friend delivered pizza to me; she physically came to give me the pizza.

My best friend brought lunch for me.

In this sentence, my best friend paid for my lunch as a nice gesture.

Example:

Alex made a quick phone call to her dad.

In this sentence, Alex called her dad intentionally.

Alex made a quick phone call for her dad.

In this sentence, Alex’s dad was not able to make the phone call himself. Alex called instead.

Did this post give you a clearer comprehension on when to use To and For? Let me know in the comments section! Next week, I will be posting about another grammar topic. If you have any requests on what you would like to see next (as a blog post or a YouTube episode) click on the Contact section up at the top and leave me a message.

Becoming an online English teacher!

I love teaching English. It has been a passion of mine for five plus years now after becoming an official grammar nerd in May of 2013. After getting my TEFL certification in Cusco, Peru, I was lucky enough to teach in classrooms to people of all ages and of all levels. Teaching English for me is extremely rewarding. Being able to help learners reach their goals, whether it be for work or pleasure, is something that will always drive me to be the best esl teacher I could possibly be.

I left work for a few months after having my first baby in May 2017. As soon as I was able to get back into teaching, I started focusing on one to one private classes locally. Doing so then lead me to online teaching. But I’ve been wanting to do much more.  So here I am; finally starting my blog and YouTube channel dedicated to teaching English.

I have lots of ideas for what I will be publishing here and on my channel. I look forward to updating and creating regularly! So watch this space for updates!