Chapter 9: Verb Patterns withit

In this chapter we describe verb patterns in which the Subject or Object is always the wordit. In these patterns it has two basic uses. It may function as a `dummy' Subject or Object pointing forward to a clause somewhere else in the sentence, in which case we call it introductory it. Or it may refer vaguely to a general situation, and not point anywhere else in the sentence. In this case we call it general it. This chapter contains the following sections: 1 Introductory it as Subject 2 Introductory it as Object 3 General it as Subject 4 General it as Object

1 Introductory itas Subject

In all the patterns described here, the clause begins withintroductory it, which is the Subject of the clause. Although it is the Subject, it does not contribute to the meaning of the clause, and is often known as a `dummy' Subject. English prefers to have old information at the beginning of a clause and new information at the end of a clause. If a clause does not contain any old information, having it as Subject allows all the new information to be placed at the end of a clause. For example, the clause It is difficult to see what you mean has two pieces of new information: difficultand to see what you mean. You could say To see what you mean is difficult, but then some of the new information would be at the beginning of the clause. In the clause beginning with it, none of the new information comes at the beginning of the clause. In spoken English, the word it is sometimes omitted, especially with the verbs look, seem andsound, e.g. Looks as if we're out of luck, Seemshe knows all the answers,Sounds as if it runs in the family. The same thing occurs with the phrase it stands to reason, e.g.Stands to reason he stole it. In the case of be, some nouns and adjectives sometimes occur without it is, e.g. Pity you didn't let me know . All the patterns described here contain a clause such as a that-clause or a to-infinitive clause. All these are new clauses, with their own structures. The patterns with introductory it as Subject fall into six pattern groups: Pattern group 1: it V clause Pattern group 2: it Vto n clause Pattern group 3: it V prep clause Pattern group 4: it be V-ed clause Pattern group 5: it V n clause Pattern group 6: it V adj clause

Pattern group 1: it V clause

There are five patterns in this group, each consisting of it, the verb, and a type of clause: 1.1 it V that It seemed that I was right. 1.2 it V to-inf It helps to talk. 1.3 it V wh It doesn't matterwhat you think. 1.4 it V when/if It hurts when you forget to write. 1.5 it V as if/as though/like It sounds as if they made a dreadful mistake.

1.1 it V that
The verb is followed by a that-clause.
it Subject Verb group Verb thatclause Clause that smoking reduces lifeexpectancy. that he would keep his word. that the gunman had been released from jail.

It

emerged

It

seemed

It

transpired

Verbs with this pattern belong to the following meaning groups:

1 T HE 2 T HE 3 T HE `EMER GE ' `A P P EA R ' `HUR T'
GR OUP GR OUP GR OUP

1 The `emerge' group

These verbs indicate that something happens or becomes known, or that something is logically the case. With some verbs the word that is often omitted, as in It happened I was there at the time. It never reallyclicked that I was homeless until I had been on the streets a couple of months. It emerged that he had a violent criminal record, of which the welfare agencies had been unaware. Doug was a good man when I knew him, but that had been a lot of years ago. And it figuredthat there was a solid case against him. Since sound is actually the motion of molecules, itfollows that the fastest speed with which the air molecules can get out of the way is the speed of sound. It happened that we had a number of very competent women so it was not difficult to pick a woman to do it. There are five phrasal verbs with this meaning, listed below. Their pattern is it V P that. How did it come about that a man so shrewd and wise as David should fall for such a blatantly obvious confidence trick? What'll happen is,it'll come out that he didn't shoot himself, Jack shot him. If it does turn outthat the inspectors have found highly enriched uranium, this raises a number of questions.
click emerge figure follow happen transpire come about come out get around/round leak out turn out

The old-fashioned verb group come to pass also has this pattern. After the war, it came to pass that he did not resume his medical studies. 2 The `appear' group These verbs are concerned with what a situation is, or seems to be. They are alllink verbs (see Chapter 5). The word that is often omitted, as in the clause It seems you understand me. A police spokesman said it appearedthat the bag had contained two tubes filled with pieces of lead which flew into the air injuring the eleven people. The verb be is not usually used alone in the affirmative in this pattern. The following types of clause are frequent: negative clauses; clauses in which be follows a modal; and clauses including an adverb such as just orsimply. He was to be a priest, so, she thought, it could not be that he was interested in her. This doesn't necessarily mean that sport can improve your emotional health; itcould simply bethat people with a more extrovert personality are more likely to enjoy sports in the first place.
appear be seem

3 The `hurt' group These verbs indicate how someone feels about the event indicated by the that-clause. Hundreds of people attended the wake and funeral. Ithelped that so many people cared. I felt stronger when people were around. I have been wanting to write to you since day one. It hurtsthat you cannot see this. The bigger the cost, the more itmatters that the money should not be wasted.
help hurt matter rankle

1.2 it V to-inf
The verb is followed by a to-infinitive clause.
Verb group Verb may help hurt toinfinitive clause Clause to talk about it. to breathe. to shop around for the best deals.

it Subject It It

It

pays

Three of the verbs with this pattern indicate that something is helpful to someone, or is a good thing. Different building societies offer different services soit pays to shop around. The verb do usually occurs in negative clauses. I'm learning the language. A career diplomat has to. Itdoesn't do to have to use translators all the time.
(not) do help pay

There are two other verbs with this pattern. Though his case was far from complete, he was convinced he was right. Itremained to convince his superiors.
hurt remain

1.3 it V wh

The verb is followed by a wh-clause. There is only one verb with this pattern. I don't think itmatters what you really are, itmatters what you do.
matter

1.4 it V when/if
The verb is followed by a clause beginning withwhen or if, which indicates a situation that occurs or may occur. It didn't helpwhen he tried to cover his mistake.
help hurt

1.5 it V as if, it V as though, it V like

The verb is followed by a clause beginning with as ifor as though. In informal English, the clause sometimes begins withlike. Some people think these clauses are incorrect, but we include them here because they occur frequently.
Verb group Verb looks as if/as though/likeclause Clause as if there will be a rebellion. like his dream had come true. as though she is leading an invalid life.

it Subject It

It

seemed

It

sounds

Verbs with this pattern are concerned with what a situation seems or feels like. They are all link verbs (see Chapter 5). There was smoke coming up at the bottom of the hill. Itappeared as if there had been a bonfire or something. Chess experts are awe-struck by Fischer's play. It isas if he had never stopped playing chess. The band played. Itfelt as though the room were a moving vehicle and had just crashed up against a wall of sound.
appear be feel look seem sound

Pattern group 2: it Vto n clause

There are four patterns in this group, each consisting of it, the verb, a prepositional phrase beginning with to, and a type of clause: 2.1 it V to n that It seems to me that I had done everything I could. 2.2 it V to n to-inf It fell to me to organize the event. 2.3 it V to n wh It matters to me what happens to you. 2.4 it V to n as if/as though/like It sounds to me as if you don't want to help her.

2.1 it V to n that
The verb is followed by a prepositional phrase beginning with to, and a that-clause. The prepositional phrase always indicates a human being. The prepositional phrase is the prepositional Object.
it Subject Verb group Verb to prepositional Object noun group thatclause Clause that the car following him was the same one. that he might win. that there was absolutely no hope.

It

came

to

him

It

didn't occur

to

him

It

seemed

to

me

The word that is often omitted, as in the clause It seems to me you're lying. Verbs with this pattern belong to the following meaning groups:
1 T HE 2 T HE 3 V ER BS
WITH

`SEEM' `OCCUR '

GR OUP GR OUP

OTHER MEA N IN GS

1 The `seem' group Verbs with this pattern are concerned with what a situation seems like to someone. These verbs are also found without the prepositional phrase, in the pattern it V that. Of the verbs in this meaning group, seem occurs much more frequently than any of the other verbs. All the verbs in this group are link verbs (see Chapter 5). It seemed to me that the book tried to say something in a different way than it had been said before.
appear feel look seem sound

2 The `occur' group These verbs indicate that an idea occurs to someone. These verbs are not found in the pattern it V that: they occur only with a prepositional phrase, for example to me or to my attention. Quite recently itcame to my attention that I am older than the Prime Minister. She seemed to be asleep. Then itoccurred to him she might be dead.
come occur

3 Verbs with other meanings There is one other verb with this pattern. Her husband appealed to the public yesterday: `It matters to everyone that the killer is still around.'
matter

2.2 it V to n to-inf
The verb is followed by a prepositional phrase beginning with to, and a to-infinitive clause. The prepositional phrase always indicates a human being. The prepositional phrase is the prepositional Object.
Verb group Verb noun group toinfinitive clause Clause to keep supporting a strong franc. to bring a chequebook.

it

to prepositional Object

Subject

It

appeals

to

bankers

It

hadn't occurred

to

me

There are only three verbs with this pattern. It fell to Malcolm to care for her, but he had less and less time. It occurred to me to wonder how other animals that live in highly-organised societies, like human beings, cope with their diseases.
appeal fall occur

2.3 it V to n wh
The verb is followed by a prepositional phrase beginning with to, and a wh-clause. The prepositional phrase always indicates a human being. The prepositional phrase is the prepositional Object.
it Subject Verb group Verb didn't matter to prepositional Object to her noun group whclause Clause what happened to us. what Pop had forgotten.

It

It

came

to

me

Two of the verbs with this pattern indicate that an idea occurs to someone. It occurred to me how truly blessed we are to live in a town that's just chock-full of so many interesting races, creeds and colors.
come occur

There is one other verb with this pattern. It doesn't matterto them whether or not they sell your product.
matter

2.4 it V to n as if, it Vto n as though, it V ton like

The verb is followed by a prepositional phrase beginning with to, and a clause beginning with as ifor as though. In informal English, the clause sometimes begins withlike. Some people think these clauses are incorrect, but we include them because they occur frequently. The prepositional phrase is the prepositional Object.
Verb group Verb noun group as if/as though/likeclause Clause like the war was coming closer and closer. as if this gun had been used close up. as though you've tried your best.

it

to prepositional Object

Subject

It

felt

to

me

It

looked

to

me

It

sounds

to

me

All the verbs with this pattern are concerned with what a situation seems or feels like to someone. These verbs are also found without the prepositional phrase, in the pattern it V as if. All the verbs in this group arelink verbs (see Chapter 5). You have many skills and capabilities. All in allit seems to me as though you could be very useful to us.
appear feel look seem sound

Pattern group 3: it V prep clause

Patterns in which the preposition is to and the prepositional phrase indicates a human being have been described in Pattern group 2 above. Here we describe the patterns which contain other prepositional phrases. There are two patterns in this group, each consisting of it, the verb, a prepositional phrase, and a type of clause: 3.1 it V prep that It came to light that he had not been telling the truth. 3.2 it V prep to-inf It was up to me to decide what to do.

3.1 it V prep that

The verb is followed by a prepositional phrase and a that-clause. The prepositional phrase is the prepositional Complement with the verbs be, come, and count, and an Adjunct with the other verbs.
it Subject Verb group Verb preposition prepositional Complement noun group thatclause Clause that people are now healthier. that he was able to resign.

It

is

to

our credit

It

counts

as

an achievement noun group

it Subject

Verb group Verb

preposition Adjunct

thatclause Clause that the plane had not been insured. that most gardeners love the outdoor life.

It

came

to

light

It

goes

without

saying

Verbs with this pattern have a variety of meanings. Most of them occur within fairly fixed phrases. It is to his credit that the bitterness he felt over his recent failure did not alter his determination to carry out his

regimental duties to perfection. It is not for nothing that sports people call their clothes their `strip'. Athletes now wear clinging, black garments that leave nothing to the imagination. It came as little surprise that the twelve ministers found much to criticise in the reform proposals. Since alcohol is drying, it stands to reason that those products marketed for women with dry skin have little or no alcohol. There is one phrasal verb with this pattern, creep up. Its pattern is it V P onn that. It's hard to say at first why Ed is so remarkable but thenit creeps up on you that this is top-quality song-writing.
be come (as) come (to) (see light 14) count (as) go (without) (see say 18) stand creep up

3.2 it V prep to-inf

The verb is followed by a prepositional phrase and a to-infinitive clause. The prepositional phrase is the prepositional Complement with be and come, and an Adjunct with accord.
Verb group Verb noun group toinfinitive clause Clause the public interest them to prosecute. to stay competitive.

it

preposition prepositional Complement/Adjunct with

Subject

It

accords

It

is

up to

Verbs with this pattern have a variety of meanings. If there are any surplus resources, itis not in the interests of the government to keep them. It comes as no surprise to learn that magistrates in England and Wales dislike the new Criminal Justice Act and are now seeking to modify it.
accord be come

Pattern group 4: it be V-ed clause

There are three patterns in this group, each consisting of it, a verb in the passive, and a type of clause. Although in these patterns it is the Subject in a passive clause, we include them here because there is no active equivalent containing it. 4.1 it be V-ed that It is thought that the temple was used in the third century. 4.2 it be V-ed to-inf It was decided to cancel the meeting. 4.3 it be V-ed wh It is not knownwhat causes the disease.

4.1 it be V-ed that

The verb is followed by a that-clause.
it Subject Verb group Verb was admitted thatclause Clause that the tests were all wrong. that a new treaty would be signed. that a hundred people have now died.

It

It

was agreed

It

is estimated

This pattern is used to indicate that something is said, thought, or discovered, without indicating who said, thought, or discovered it. The implication is that this is a group of people, people in general, or occasionally an unspecified individual: the context has to determine which of these alternatives applies. This is a productive pattern and occurs occasionally with a large number of verbs concerned with saying, knowing, and thinking, such as add, affirm, appreciate, compute, decree, deduce, deem, hint, hypothesize, maintain, mention, moot, perceive, postulate, speculate, and stipulate. The verbs listed below are the ones which are most frequently used in this way.

The word that is often omitted, as in It was said he had a good head for business. Verbs with this pattern belong to the following meaning groups: 1 The `report' group These verbs are concerned with what is spoken and written. This includes something that is: agreed or conceded suggested or recommended announced, reported, or disclosed rumoured or alleged argued or denied We also include heredemonstrate and show , which do not necessarily involve speaking or writing. Eventually it was agreed that the present laws would continue to apply in the same areas for two years. It is claimed that running helps to unleash hidden energies, both psychic and physical. In 1990, it was disclosed that he had contracted the AIDS virus. A short time ago, itwas reported that demonstrators had broken through the police lines and more vehicles were set alight. It is rumouredthat his farmhouse resembles a fortress, with a panic-button to alert the police in the event of intruders breaking in. Until it is shownthat the tape is genuine, we have to remain sceptical. It is suggested that teachers should design activities which will keep the class actively and constructively engaged. There are two phrasal verbs with this meaning, given below. Their pattern is it be V-ed P that. When it was pointed out that she would need considerable journalistic experience she agreed she didn't have it. These verbs are sometimes used with amodal such as must orcan to indicate that the speaker feels obliged or able to say something, not that someone else has said something. It can be arguedthat human health would not suffer if we were to stop most animal research. Though it cannot be denied that appearance is the first step towards attraction, it is similarity of attitude that is often a deciding factor when it comes to pursuing a relationship. It must be emphasized that goat's and sheep's milk also contain lactose. It must be saidthat the success has been solid rather than spectacular.
be acknowledged be admitted be agreed be alleged be announced be argued be asserted be claimed be conceded be confirmed be contended be demonstrated be denied be disclosed be emphasized be explained be held be proposed be recommended be recorded be reported be revealed be ruled be rumoured be said be shown be stated be stressed be suggested be trumpeted be whispered be laid down be pointed out

The `think' and `discover' group These verbs are concerned with what is thought. This includes something that is: expected, hoped, or feared thought or believed decided or intended remembered or forgotten known or suspected discovered It is accepted now that drinking water in many areas contains certain pollutants which are undesirable. At one time it was believed that an addict couldn't quit until she hit bottom and lost everything. That's true for many people but, it turns out, not for everybody. It was concludedthat the aircraft was flying at the maximum permitted speed when the leading edge of the wing opened up, ripping the wing apart. Inquiries were made and it was decided that there were no grounds for further investigation. They became concerned when itwas discoveredthat more than nine-thousand ballot papers had been forged. It is estimatedthat up to two million people around the country suffer from various forms of asthma. It is expectedthat by the weekend, air traffic, garbage collection and mail delivery will be back in full operation. At first it was feared that a bomb had caused the blast but now it appears that the explosion may have been triggered accidentally. It was felt that valuable work could be carried out in establishing a good working relationship between the groups. It should be remembered that the success rate of Alcoholics Anonymous stands second to none. From the stories related in this book,it can be seenthat the average age of those women marrying is 17. It has long been thought that aluminium was a poisonous substance and it has been linked to cancer of the stomach, though there is no evidence for this. It is understoodthat damage estimated at more than a hundred thousand pounds has been caused to furniture, fittings and equipment in the Embassy building.
be accepted be anticipated be assumed be believed be calculated be concluded be considered be decided be determined be discovered be envisaged be established be estimated be expected be feared be felt be found be forgotten be hoped be imagined be implied be intended be judged be known be learnt be noted be noticed be predicted be presumed be proven be realized be reckoned be recognized be regretted be remembered be seen be supposed be suspected be thought be understood

4.2 it be V-ed to-inf

The verb is followed by a to-infinitive clause.
Verb group Verb toinfinitive clause Clause

it Subject

It

was hoped

to use helicopters to evacuate refugees. to allow cameras into courts.

It

is proposed

Verbs with this pattern are concerned with a course of action being proposed, hoped for, recommended, or decided upon. At an emergency meeting of teachers and parents, it was agreed to send home all 300 pupils at Chigwell county primary, Essex, until further notice. She was actually too old for foster care, but because she was so upset emotionally, it was decided to place her with a foster family. A spokesman said that it was intended to complete the evacuation of the remaining 1,700 citizens by January 10th.
be agreed be decided be hoped be intended be planned be proposed

4.3 it be V-ed wh
The verb is followed by a wh-clause.
it Subject Verb group Verb whclause Clause why you did not make your views known earlier. how much the sale will raise.

It

is being asked

It

was not disclosed

The verbs with this pattern are concerned with information being asked for, discovered, explained, understood, or doubted. It has to be clarified whether the radicals are holding two of the soldiers, as they say, or three, as other reports have suggested. It was neverestablishedwhether the motor failed or the take-off was aborted. Many theories exist, but it is not known what causes endometriosis, or how the disease can trigger infertility. Another top Tory is under pressure to quit after it was revealed how a company he ran cost taxpayers *53200,000. It is pretty wellunderstood what controls the flow of carbon dioxide in and out of the atmosphere today.
be asked be clarified be decided be determined be disclosed be discovered be doubted be established be explained be found be imagined be known be learned be questioned be revealed be seen be shown be understood

Pattern group 5: it V n clause

There are eleven patterns in this group, each consisting of it, the verb, a noun group, and a type of clause. Patterns 5.8 to 5.11 contain other elements as well. 5.1 it V n that It struck me that the story would make a good film. 5.2 it V n to-inf It worries me to see you unhappy. 5.3 it V n wh It beats me why sales are falling. 5.4 it V n when/if It worries me when you come home late. 5.5 it V n -ing It's no fun working all weekend. 5.6 it V n/amount before/since It's only a matter of time before he finds out. 5.7 it V n for n to-inf It took months for them to answer my letters. 5.8 it V n n to-inf It took me ages to finish my work. 5.9 it V amount for n that It said a lot for him that he was able to apologize. 5.10 it V n adj that It drove him crazy that he couldn't do anything to help. 5.11 it V n adj to-inf It makes me sick to think about all the thefts.

5.1 it V n that
The verb is followed by a noun group and a that-clause. The noun group is the Complement in group 1, and the Object in groups 2 and 3.

it Subject

Verb group Verb

noun group Complement

thatclause Clause that the press ignored these events. that visitors could not leave their cars.

It

is

a shame

It

became

a rule

it Subject

Verb group Verb

noun group Object

thatclause Clause that he hadn't asked for her. that I was going off on my own.

It

bothered

her

It

hit

me

Verbs with this pattern belong to the following meaning groups:

1 T HE `BE '
GR OUP

2 T HE `A N N OY '
AND

3 T HE `STR IKE '

GR OUP

`P LEA SE '
GR OUP

1 The `be' group These verbs are concerned with what a situation is, seems, or becomes. All the verbs in this group arelink verbs (see Chapter 5). The word that is often omitted, as in the clauseIt's a pity you can't come. You can name your own price. It'salmost a foregone conclusion that you'll get what you want. It remains a subject of fascination that one family produced three exceptional writers: Charlotte, Anne, and Emily Bronte.
be become remain seem

2 The `annoy' and `please' group These verbs indicate how a situation makes someone feel. The noun group always indicates a human being. This is a productive use and occurs occasionally with a large number of verbs indicating the emotional effect of something, such as alarm, anger, awe, baffle, bemuse, confuse, depress, enrage, fascinate, frustrate, horrify, intrigue, offend, stagger, and upset. The verbs listed here are the ones which are most frequently used in this way. It amuses me that every 22-year-old now wants to own property. I was 38 before I could afford my first flat. It annoyed me that I didn't have time to do more ironing, but I will get it done. It frightens me that kids are now walking around with guns. In a dormitory I saw a notice: `Itpleases God that children should be respectful to their elders.' It puzzles me that people are willing to pay any taxes at all to this Government. It saddens me that almost all my anxieties have been confirmed. I wish I had been proved wrong. Does it surpriseyou that the polls are showing currently that this initiative will be approved by the voters?
amaze amuse annoy appalastonish bother concerndisappoint distress disturbembarrass frighten gall hurtinfuriate irk irritate painplease puzzle sadden shocksurprise worry

3 The `strike' group These verbs indicate either that an idea occurs to someone, or that they fail to notice something. The noun group usually indicates a human being. In the case of escape, it may be something such asmy attention or their notice. They so obviously enjoyed life, enjoyed the things they did together, that italmost escapedtheir attention that some people did not approve of the family. Didn't it strikeyou that he was awfully uptight and tense? There is one phrasal verb with this meaning, dawn on. The pattern is it V P n that. I noticed that he was soaking wet, and for the first timeit dawned on me that he had come down across the fields from the hill.
escape hit strike dawn on

Other productive uses This pattern is productive: a wide range of verbs concerned with the consequences or implications of situations and events sometimes have this pattern. For example, it occurs in sentences like Itdestroyed our credibility that we didn't know what was going on within our own team. In addition, there are a few fairly fixed phrases with this pattern. It broke my heartthat she could shut out my pain so easily. He seemed less surly, more comfortable about being polite and ordinary. So itcrossed my mindthat I might give him another chance. It never entered her head that their divorce would go through without a financial settlement having been made. Most of the evidence was against him, and so it makes sense that he was found guilty. It made no difference that we tried to talk to her, she just looked straight ahead and didn't answer us.

5.2 it V n to-inf
The verb is followed by a noun group and a to-infinitive clause. The noun group is the Complement in group 1, and the Object in groups 2, 3, and 4.
Verb group Verb toinfinitive clause Clause to increase the number of magistrates. to break up the peaceful scene. toinfinitive clause Clause to see her furious. to learn about finance.

it Subject

noun group Complement

It

became

policy

It

seemed

a pity

it Subject It

Verb group Verb amused

noun group Object him

It

takes

time

Verbs with this pattern belong to the following meaning groups:

1 T HE `BE '
GR OUP

2 T HE `P A IN ' A N D `P LEA SE '

GR OUP

3 T HE `P A Y '
GR OUP

1 The `be' group These verbs are concerned with what a situation is, seems, or becomes. All the verbs in this group arelink verbs (see Chapter 5). It is a crime to listen in on private conversations with scanners. James had often said that while itwas one thing to have children dependent upon you, it was intolerable to be materially dependent on them. It remains our aim to maintain its real value over a run of years.
be become remain seem

2 The `pain' and `please' group These verbs indicate how a situation makes someone feel. The noun group always indicates a human being or a human attribute such as feelings or heart. This is a productive use and occurs occasionally with a large number of verbs indicating the emotional effect of something, such as anger, astonish, awe, bore, choke, confuse, dismay, embarrass, enrage, jar, reassure, repulse, andsoothe. The verbs listed here are the ones which are most frequently used in this way. I don't suppose itbothered the Platts to know that the money wasn't honestly come by. It disturbs me to see you unhappy, darling. As a nurse itfrightened her to contemplate the procedure and its risks. It gladdens my heart to see you again. It hurts my pride to depend on her for our daily bread. I'm jealous, but itkills me to admit that I am. You are always in my thoughts and itpains me to think of you struggling all alone. It pleased him to see that he'd delighted her with his choice.
alarm amaze amuse annoy bother comfort delight depress disturb fascinate frighten gall gladden grieve horrify hurt infuriate interest intrigue irk kill pain please sadden scare shame shock surprise tickle touch upset worry

3 The `pay' group These verbs indicate that an action is helpful or useful to someone.

Clearly it paysbanks to take big risks with our money. For some peculiar reason it suitedher to live like a character in a Victorian melodrama.
benefit help pay profit suit

4 Verbs with other meanings There are a few other verbs which have this pattern. Reforms seldom come from the top down so it behovesus to put pressure on the decision makers. It takes courage to face the unknown. In the case of cost, mean, and take, the verb is always or often followed by an amount . This pattern is it V amount to-inf. It costs a fortune to fly these people in from all over the country.