C2. The forest fire

verb + object + infinitive

It was towards the end of a particularly hot, dry summer and a huge forest fire had broken out. The fire was getting out of control, even though the emergency services were doing their best to deal with the problem. A photo-journalist working with one of the larger national newspapers was keen to get some good shots of the fire for the next day’s edition. He persuaded the editor to charter a private plane to get him above the action.
   ‘I know it’s expensive,’ he told the editor, ‘But it will be worth it. It’ll really help me to get the best pictures!’
   So he made a call to arrange for a small private plane and drove as fast as possible to the airport. He rushed out to the runway and spotted a small aircraft with a young pilot in it.
   Wasting no time, he jumped into the seat next to the pilot, pulled the door closed and said to the pilot, ‘I want you to take us up to altitude.’
   When they reached altitude the photographer said to the pilot, ‘Now, do you see that fire over to the east of us? I want you to fly over that. I’d like you to get as close as you can.’
    ‘Really?’ asked the pilot, amazed. ‘You seriously expect me to fly over that fire? You can’t ask me to do that!’
   ‘Of course I’m serious. That’s why I’m here. I’m a professional photographer and I need you to take me to where I can take some dramatic shots of the fire.’
   ‘So I guess that means,’ said the pilot, ‘that you aren’t the flight instructor?’

Grammar: verb patterns

Some verbs follow the pattern verb + object + infinitive.
These are some of the most common verbs which follow this pattern:

want ask help expect would like invite
persuade tell remind teach need warn

I want you to get up.
She asked him to leave.
I told him to go.
He persuaded me to go with him.
I’m teaching him to read.

For negative instructions the word order is verb + object + not + infinitive.

I persuaded her not to tell anyone.
They warned us not to touch anything.
I told you not to do that.
He reminded us not to smoke in the building.

Choose the best verb to complete these sentences. Change the form of the verb where necessary.

warn teach remind persuade expect

1. You can’t seriously _________ me to finish this work on time.
2. I eventually _________ my boss to give me a pay rise.
3. The news bulletins _________ people not to get too near the fire.
4. The teacher _________ the class to bring their books to the next lesson.
5. I’m _________ my grandmother to use the internet.

Put these words into the correct order to make sentences.

6. help   asked He me him to
7. me   it find They helped to
8. do that I   you warned not   to
9. it to persuaded She me buy
10. us inside go to You told

Vocabulary exercises

Choose the correct verb to complete these sentences.

get break arrange waste take

1. I can _______ for a taxi to pick you up at the airport.
2. At this time of the year forest fires sometimes _______ out.
3. The pilot will _______ the plane up to altitude.
4. We are hoping that the fire doesn’t _______ out of control.
5. I don’t think we need to _______ any time on this.

Match the broken sentences.

6. On my trip I’m particularly…	A. of a national newspaper.
7. The emergency services dealt…	B. all the time and expense.
8. Keith Wells is the editor…	C. keen to take some shots of the local scenery.
9. It’s not necessary to charter…	D. a private plane to fly you across the world.
10. I hope it will be worth…	E. with the problem with great efficiency.

ANSWERS