Examples:
* Base form (infinitive):
* "I want to eat." (want + eat)
* "She decided to go." (decided + go)
* "He likes to play." (likes + play)
* "-ing" form (gerund/present participle):
* "I enjoy reading." (enjoy + reading)
* "He keeps trying." (keeps + trying)
* "She started running." (started + running)
Types of Catenative Verbs:
* Modal Verbs: These verbs (like "can," "will," "may," "should," etc.) always take an infinitive.
* Auxiliary Verbs: These verbs (like "be," "have," "do") can take infinitives or "-ing" forms depending on the tense and aspect.
* Phrasal Verbs: Some phrasal verbs (like "give up," "look forward to," "go on") can be followed by a verb.
* Other Verbs: Many other verbs can be catenative, such as "begin," "continue," "stop," "try," "love," "hate," "prefer," etc.
Important Note:
Not all verbs can be followed by another verb. For instance, you cannot say "I *eat* to go" or "I *sleep* running."
Understanding Catenative Verbs:
Catenative verbs help us understand the sequence of actions or events. They show how one action leads to another, creating a chain of related verbs.
Example:
"I *started* *running* *to get* to the bus stop *before* it left."
This sentence uses three catenative verbs: "started," "running," and "get." They show how the speaker started running as a means to reach the bus stop before it left.