Verbs clause licensing cheatsheet

Core Principle

When a subordinate clause looks fine but the sentence feels wrong, ask:

Does the governing predicate license this kind of clause?

Examples:

I know that she leave. I think where she lives. I enjoy to swim.

The problem is not the subordinate clause itself; it is the licensing.

Family 1: Knowledge & belief

Meaning:

knowing, believing, thinking, realizing, claiming

• know

• think

• believe

• realize

• claim

• say

Default pattern:

Declarative content clause:

I know that she left. I believe that she left. They claim that she left.

Common trap:

Not all of these license interrogative clauses.

I know where she lives.

I believe where she lives.

I think where she lives.

Tip

Knowledge/belief verbs usually want a proposition (that S).

Family 2: Questions & inquiry

Meaning:

Asking or seeking an answer

• ask

• wonder

• inquire

Default pattern:

Interrogative content clause

I wonder whether she left.

I asked where she lives.

Common trap:

I wonder that she left.

Tip

Question verbs typically want a question clause.

Family 3: Desire & intention

Meaning:

wanting, hoping, planning, deciding

• want

• hope

• wish

• intend

• plan

• decide

Default pattern:

To-infinitival clause

I want to leave.

They decided to stay.

She plans to apply.

Common trap

I want leaving. They decided staying.

Tip

Desire/intention verbs often point toward a future action.

Family 4: Recommendation & requirement (mandative)

Meaning:

Recommending, requiring, directing

Recommendations:

• suggest

• recommend

• propose

Requirements / Directives

• insist

• demand

• require

• order

Necessity predicates

• essential

• necessary

• important

• vital

Default pattern:

Mandative subjunctive content clause

I insist that she leave. They recommended that he resign. It is essential that she be informed.

Common trap

I know that she leave. I think that she leave.

Tip

Someone wants a situation to be brought about.

Family 5: Enjoyment, avoidance, completion

• enjoy

• avoid

• finish

• postpone

• keep

Default pattern:

Gerund-participial clause

I enjoy swimming.

She avoided answering.

They finished writing.

Common trap:

I enjoy to swim.

She avoided to answer.

Tip

These verbs often refer to an activity as an event or process.

Family 6: Perception

• see

• hear

• watch

• feel

Default pattern:

Bare infinitival clause

I saw her leave.

We heard him sing.

Common trap:

Don’t automatically insert to.

Mental model:

Tip

Perception verbs often present an event directly.

Family 7: Causation / permission

• make

• let

Default pattern:

Bare infinitival clause

They made him leave. She let him go.

Common trap:

They made him to leave.

She let him to go.

Tip

The subject causes or permits the event.

High-Yield Warning List

If you see…	Check…
that she leave	Is the predicate mandative?
whether / where / who…	Does the predicate license interrogatives?
V-ing	Is this an -ing verb (enjoy, avoid, finish)?
to V	Is this a desire/intention verb (want, plan, decide)?
NP + bare infinitive	Is it perception or causation (see, hear, make, let)?

If you see… Check… that she leave Is the predicate mandative? whether / where / who… Does the predicate license interrogatives? V-ing Is this an -ing verb (enjoy, avoid, finish)? to V Is this a desire/intention verb (want, plan, decide)? NP + bare infinitive Is it perception or causation (see, hear, make, let)? The 80/20 Rule

For advanced ESL, the biggest licensing patterns are:

Construction Typical semantic family Declarative content clause knowledge, belief Interrogative content clause questions, inquiry To-infinitival clause desire, intention Gerund-participial clause enjoyment, avoidance, completion Mandative subjunctive clause recommendation, requirement Bare infinitival clause perception, causation

This is not a complete grammar of English, but it covers a surprisingly large proportion of the sentences that advanced learners find “perfectly logical” yet native speakers reject.