Ch. 18 · Grammaire

Verb Patterns — Verbe + objet + infinitif

want sb to do · make/let · allow, encourage, expect

Want somebody to do

Le piège n° 1 du francophone : « je veux QUE tu viennes ». L’anglais ne dit jamais « want that » — c’est want + objet + to + infinitif.

I want you to come. (Je veux que tu viennes.)

She’d like us to wait. (Elle aimerait que nous attendions.)

Même structure : would like, expect, need, ask, tell + objet + to do.

Make et let : sans to

make sb do (forcer) et let sb do (laisser) prennent l’infinitif sans to.

My parents made me tidy my room. (m’ont obligé à ranger)

They let me stay up late. (m’ont laissé veiller)

Au passif, make récupère son to : I was made to wait. (Let n’a pas de passif — on dit was allowed to.)

Allow, encourage, persuade, teach

La grande famille du verbe + objet + to + infinitif : allow, encourage, persuade, teach, advise, invite, remind, warn, order, force.

They allowed us to leave early.

She taught me to drive.

He encouraged her to apply.

Help et les sens : deux cas souples

help accepte les deux : help sb (to) do. Les verbes de perception (see, hear, watch, feel) : infinitif sans to (action complète) ou -ing (action en cours).

She helped me (to) carry the boxes.

I saw him leave. (je l’ai vu partir — tout)

I saw him leaving. (en train de partir)

Suggest : l’exception qui résiste

Suggest n’entre jamais dans ce moule : pas de « suggest me to do ». Trois options correctes :

She suggested taking a break.

She suggested (that) we take a break.

She suggested a break.

Même logique pour explain : explain something TO somebody — jamais « explain me ».

Erreurs typiques

Les pièges classiques pour les francophones

Voici les erreurs que les francophones font le plus souvent sur ce point.

I want that you come with me.
I want you to come with me.
Want + objet + to + infinitif — jamais want that.
She made me to apologise.
She made me apologise.
Make sb do — infinitif sans to à l’actif.
My parents don’t let me to go out.
My parents don’t let me go out.
Let sb do — sans to, toujours.
He suggested me to try again.
He suggested trying again. / He suggested that I try again.
Suggest refuse le moule objet + to do.
Can you explain me the rule?
Can you explain the rule to me?
Explain something TO somebody — l’objet de la chose d’abord.

Récapitulatif : Verb Patterns

Vouloir que
want/expect sb to do
I want you to come.
Forcer
make sb do (sans to)
She made me apologise.
Laisser
let sb do (sans to)
They let me stay.
Permettre
allow sb to do
They allowed us to leave.
Perception
see/hear sb do / doing
I saw him leave / leaving.
Exceptions
suggest + -ing · explain sth to sb
She suggested taking a break.
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