English — Verb + object + to-infinitive

Many verbs take an object followed by a to-infinitive to say what one person wants, asks, or expects another to do: I want you to come; She told him to wait.

How it works

✓ Rule

The structure is verb + object + to-infinitive. The object is the person doing the second action: I want you to come means you come, not I come. This pattern works with want, ask, tell, expect, advise, allow, persuade and similar verbs, as in She told him to wait and They persuaded me to stay.

Examples

Common verbs in the pattern verb + object + to-infinitive
Example sentence	Meaning / use
I want you to come.	want — expressing a wish about someone else's action
She asked me to help.	ask — making a request
She told him to wait.	tell — giving an instruction or order
We expect them to arrive soon.	expect — believing something will happen
The doctor advised her to rest.	advise — recommending an action
They allowed us to stay.	allow — giving permission
He persuaded me to try.	persuade — convincing someone to act

Good to know

⚠ Note

Do not drop the object: say I want you to come, not I want that you come. Note that a few verbs, especially let and make, take a bare infinitive instead: She let him go and They made me wait (never She let him to go).