Structure Summary Would like / want / ask I would like you to come to a party on Saturday Object Clause (noun clause): you to come to a party on Saturday Subject + verb + [object = (object pronoun + verb + more information)] I / would like / you to come to a party on Saturday. Other examples: I would like you to come to a meeting on Monday to discuss the terms of the contract. My parents want me to go on holiday with them this summer. You asked me to tell you about the football match. Make (verb that follow are without ‘to’ in the infinitive) She makes me smile Subject: She. Verb: makes Object: me – the direct object of makes Complement (Bare Infinitive Verb): smile – this is the bare infinitive (infinitive without "to") following the causative verb make. Other examples: She makes me laugh when I'm feeling sad. She always makes me angry! Let (verb that follow are without ‘to’ in the infinitive) Let me know if Monday is suitable for you. You are eighteen now, your parents should let you do what you like! I think you should talk with your parents and try to make them understand how you feel. My parents are afraid of letting me go away by yourself, they still think I'm a baby. Help Help (verbs that follow are with or without ‘to’. Please would you help me find something better? Indirect Object: me – the person receiving the help. Bare Infinitive Verb: find – after help, we use the bare infinitive (you can say "help me to find" too.). Other examples: I wanted to help him (to) make some friends. I hope that it will help you (to) keep fit. I hope my advice will help you (to) decide where to go on holiday. This hotel is terrible and I hope you can help me (to) find a better one. For transcripts of jokes see: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-236.htm Support the show My NEW book: "B1 English Vocabulary Builder - 22 Short Stories for Learning the Words and Phrases Students Need to Pass the B1 Exam" is now available! This book gives the learner enough vocabulary to pass any B1 exam (special help for Cambridge exams). To read more about my book, click here (you can access it from any Amazon platform): https://amzn.to/46AVFe9 Learners studying towards B2 level will be interested in my B1 to B2 reader: The Tudor Conspiracy (includes audio version) https://amzn.to/4gPsj0i For very young learners (from 8-10), I recommend my picture reader book for children learning A1 to A2 English. It comes with a fully dramatised audio version: https://amzn.to/46TCWvv Oxford Bookworm Graded Readers: Read stories at your level to improve your English. I recommend Oxford Bookworms as the best series of books for learners: https://amzn.to/4r7YVHg At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, free grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages. https://www.practisingenglish.com/ Be back soon with another podcast! Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)
