VERB COMBINATION (1)
Apart from helping other verbs, auxiliary verbs impose conditions on the verbs they help. The verb that is helped is forced to appear in a particular form (present participle, past participle or infinitive).

1. Verbs associated with BE (e.g. am, is, are, was, were, isn't, aren't, wasn't, weren't) normally help a present participle.
We are singing a song.
She is doing her assignment.
Fatmata was taking her test.
The villagers were asking for help.

NOTE: In the passive voice,verbs associated with BE may be followed by a past participle.
The letter was written by him.
Rabbits are eaten by lions.
This house was built by Musa.

2. Verbs associated with HAVE (e.g. have, has, had, haven't, hasn't, hadn't) normally help a past participle.
I have taken the bag. She has written a letter. We have painted the house.
Sento had chosen a new book.
They had already chosen a new book.
You have done your best.
You have really done your best.

3. Verbs associated with DO (e.g. do, does, did, don't, doesn't, didn't) help a bare infinitive.
Abu didn't take it. I do know his place.
Did you go there yesterday?
I did see him last week.
Why didn't you come yesterday?
I don't think he's in. How did you come?
Amadu doesn't know my house.
We didn't take anything last month?

4. Modal verbs (e.g. shall, will, can, may, must, should, would, could, might, dare) normally help a bare infinitive. They also include: shan't, won't, can't, mustn't, shouldn't, wouldn't, couldn't.
I couldn't see you yesterday.
She said they would find the man last week.
I will do my best. You must try hard.
I thought they would go there.
Special modal verbs (ought to, need to, dare to, used to) also help an infinitive. Note that they already have to after them.
You ought to know better.
You need to take care
I used to see him every day.

Let's see the summary:
1.    BE helps a present participle
2.    HAVE helps a past participle
3.    DO helps an infinitive
4.    Modals help an infinitive.
Identify the verb form:
Yesterday he reported the matter.
He has reported the matter.
They write their names.
They should write their names.
They come for advice everyday.
They have come for advice.
Sia and Fanta will come for advice.
He likes to swim.
Does he like to swim?
Has she lost her watch?
I cut the rope.
We have cut the rope.
Did she cut the rope?
I was cutting the rope.
We couldn't cut the rope.
Can the boy cut the rope?

Choose the correct answer in each sentence.
1. They have (come, came) to an agreement.
2.I had (wrote, written, write) before you came. 3.They have (chosen, chose, choose) the way.
4. Sheku has (run, ran) the mile several times.
5. He promised last year that he would (find, found, founded) the thief.
6. She has (drunk, drink, drank) the water.
7. The wind (blew, blowed, blow) all night.
8. All the potato plants were badly (frozen, froze, freezed)
9. I am (surprised, surprise) to see you here.
10. He was (biting, bit, bitten) by the dog.
11. I couldn't (see, saw, seen)you last week.
12. I did (tried, try, trying) to see you last week.
13. Yesterday, Isatu could not (remove, removed) the books from the shelf.
14. Abdul said yesterday that he would (sing, singing, sang ) a song.
15. The boys didn't (take, took, taken) the test last week

VERB COMBINATION (2)
1. The verbs (make, let, see, watch, feel, hear), when followed by other verbs have this structure:
Verb + object + Bare infinitive
Yesterday, I heard her sing a song.
It makes me feel good.
Last week, it made me feel good.
Yesterday he let me drive his car.
When I visited them last week, they made me sit on a table.

2 Dare can use the infinitive with or without to
She wouldn't dare to do that.
She would dare do that.

3. When to is followed by a present participle (-ing), the to is seen more as a preposition rather than an infinitive.
Possible combinations are: look forward to, in addition to, object to, an objection to, get used to, to be used to, to be committed to react to, a reaction to, a respond to

I look forward to seeing you soon.
We are used to facing this type of problem. Sorie objected to having his name included in the team.
In addition to losing his pay, he was suspended for two weeks.

Exercise 10
1. I have often heard of my grandfather�.of the old days before the white man came.
A. spoken B. to speak C. has spoken D. speak
2. As the watch man peeped through the hole he saw the thief�..the money.
A. take B. took C. takes D. will take
3. How dare you�..to me so rudely.
A. to speak B. speak C. spoke D. speaking
4. They made their supporters�..it as true.
A. to accept B. accepting C. accepted D. accept
5. Last week, my father let me��his car.
A. drive B. to drive C. drove D. to be driving
6. The group is committed to ������ for international peace. WASSCE June 2003
A. work B. worked C. working D. to be working
7. He said he was loking forward to ��host to them.
A. play B. playing C. have played D. to be playing SC/GCE 1974.