ESL Lesson Plan · CEFR C1

Complex Verb Patterns ESL Lesson Plan (C1, 60 Minutes)

A complete 60-minute C1 lesson on Complex Verb Patterns, built round the theme "Workplace Culture".

CEFR C1
60 minutes
Teenagers and adults
Grammar
Gerunds and Infinitives
Complex Verb Patterns

About this lesson

Who it is for. Advanced students who use common verb patterns accurately. In complex sentences they make errors such as I can't imagine him to leave, I object to work late, It's no use to complain, It's worth to visit, and they don't distinguish I saw him cross / crossing.

Everything the lesson needs is on this page: the language analysis, the timed stages with the teacher's own words and instruction-checking questions, the differentiation, the printable handouts and the answer key.

At a glance

Level: CEFR C1 (Advanced)
Learners: Teenagers and adults
Length: 60 minutes. For 45 minutes, run "Freer practice" once through without the second round and cut "Feedback and wrap-up" to board-based error correction.
Skills: Speaking and writing
Language focus: Grammar: Complex Verb Patterns (object + -ing, possessive + gerund, sense verbs, it's no use / worth -ing)
Framework: PPP (presentation, practice, production)
Materials: Handout 1 (staff survey comments), Handout 2 (language analysis), Handout 3 (practice), Handout 4 (discussion scenarios and email task).
Preparation: About 10 minutes: print Handouts 1 to 4, one per learner, and read the language analysis. The answer key is for you, not the class.

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Google Docs · 60 minutes · PPP (presentation, practice, production)

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Aims

Main aim. To develop students' accurate use of complex gerund and infinitive patterns: verb + object + -ing (imagine, mind, resent), possessive + gerund (his leaving), to as a preposition (object to, be committed to, in addition to + -ing), sense verbs + object + base verb / -ing, and fixed expressions (it's no use, there's no point (in), it's worth, have difficulty / trouble).

Learning outcome. By the end of the lesson, students can discuss workplace culture and write a short formal email using at least six complex patterns, e.g. I object to being asked to work late without notice. There's no point in holding meetings that could be emails. I can't imagine the manager agreeing.

Subsidiary aim. To develop fluency in discussing workplace issues.
Subsidiary aim. To write a formal email expressing a view.

Language analysis

What to know before the lesson: the meaning, form and pronunciation of the target language, and the problems learners usually have with it.

Key patterns

Pattern	Example
verb + object + -ing (imagine, mind, resent, can't stand, risk, prevent ... from)	I can't imagine him leaving. Do you mind me asking?
possessive + gerund (more formal)	I resent his taking the credit. Their arriving late caused problems.
to as a preposition + -ing	I object to working late. She's committed to improving conditions. In addition to managing the team, ... · look forward to hearing
sense verbs + object + base verb (complete action)	I saw him cross the road. (I saw the whole action.)
sense verbs + object + -ing (action in progress)	I saw him crossing the road. (I saw part of it.)
fixed expressions + -ing	It's no use complaining. There's no point (in) waiting. It's (not) worth asking. I had difficulty / trouble finding it. I can't help laughing.

Meaning and use

Object + -ing is common in speech; possessive + gerund is more formal.
Sense verbs (see, hear, watch, notice, feel): base verb = the whole event; -ing = an action in progress or repeated.
to is a preposition in many expressions; test: can you put a noun after it? (I object to the decision → I object to working.)

Pronunciation

Linking in no use complaining /nəʊ ˈjuːs kəmˈpleɪnɪŋ/; There's no point /ðeəz nəʊ ˈpɔɪnt/.

Concept-checking questions

I object to working late. Is to part of an infinitive here? (No, it's a preposition.) · Can you put a noun after it? (Yes: I object to the new rule.)
***I saw him cross the road. / I saw him crossing the road.*** In which sentence did I see the complete action? (The first.) · In which one did I see the action in progress? (The second.)

Anticipated problems and solutions

Problem	Solution
to + infinitive after prepositional to (object to work).	Noun test: if a noun can follow, use -ing.
It's no use to complain / It's worth to visit.	Board fixed expressions + -ing as chunks.
Object + infinitive after imagine / mind (imagine him to leave).	Board imagine / mind + object + -ing.
Overusing the possessive in speech.	Note register: object pronoun is natural in speech.
Sense verbs + to (I saw him to cross).	Board: no to after sense verbs (active).

Board plan

Left: workplace vocabulary	Centre: patterns	Right: test / register
overtime · deadline · flexible hours · micromanage · credit · notice · morale · remote work
imagine / mind / resent + him / his + -ing · object to / committed to / look forward to + -ing · see / hear / notice + sb + verb (whole) / -ing (in progress) · It's no use -ing · There's no point (in) -ing · It's (not) worth -ing · have difficulty / trouble -ing · can't help -ing
Noun test: to + noun possible → to + -ing · his leaving (formal) / him leaving (neutral)

Warm-up5 minutes · Pairs, then whole class

Aim: To introduce the topic and personalise it.

Ask: "What makes a workplace (or a school) a good place to be? What annoys people most?"

Pairs list three ideas (2 minutes). Take ideas; board one sentence exactly as a student says it.

Presentation20 minutes · Individual, groups, whole class

Aim: To present complex verb patterns in context and clarify their form, meaning and register.

Part A: Reading (5 minutes)

Give out Handout 1. Say: "Read the anonymous comments from a staff survey. What are the main complaints? Which comment do you agree with most?"

Pairs compare.

Part B: Analysis (7 minutes)

Give out Handout 2. Say: "In groups, find the patterns in the comments and complete the table. Then answer the questions."

ICQs: "Where do you find the examples?" (In the survey comments.)

Monitor and help.

Part C: Clarification (8 minutes)

Feedback. Build the patterns in the centre of the board.

to as a preposition. Board I object to working late. Ask the CCQs. Teach the noun test.

Object vs possessive + gerund. Board I resent him taking the credit / I resent his taking the credit. Discuss register.

Sense verbs. Board I saw him cross / crossing the road. Ask the CCQs.

Fixed expressions. Board It's no use complaining. There's no point in waiting. It's worth asking. Cross out It's worth to ask.

Return to the student's sentence from Stage 1 and improve it.

Controlled practice10 minutes · Individual, then pairs, then whole class

Aim: To practise the patterns accurately.

Give out Handout 3. Say: "Exercise A: rewrite each sentence using the word given. Exercise B: correct the errors. Seven minutes."

Pairs check. Check as a class.

Freer practice18 minutes · Groups of four, then pairs, then whole class

Aim: To use the patterns in discussion and formal writing.

Give out Handout 4. Discussion (8 minutes). Groups discuss the four workplace scenarios and decide what they would say to the manager in each case, using structures from today.

ICQs: "How many scenarios?" (Four.) "What do you decide?" (What to say to the manager.)

Email (7 minutes). Pairs choose one scenario and write a short formal email (about 100 words) to the manager, using at least six patterns from today.

Two pairs read their emails aloud (3 minutes).

Monitor and note language use.

Feedback and wrap-up7 minutes · Whole class

Aim: To give feedback and consolidate.

Board strong sentences and two or three with errors. Students correct the errors.

Ask: "How do you know when to is a preposition?"

Set the homework.

Homework Write a formal letter (220 words) to a school principal or company director about a change you would like to see. Use at least eight patterns from today.

PPP (presentation, practice, production). Stage times add up to 60 minutes.

Differentiation

Support: Give weaker students a pattern card with examples and the noun test. Provide an email frame: I am writing to express ... · I object to ... · There is no point in ... · I would appreciate your considering ...
Stretch: Stronger students use passive gerunds: I object to being treated like this. They use would you mind my + -ing and I'd appreciate your + -ing for polite formal requests.

Adapting the lesson

For	What to change
A large class (40 or more)	Keep the pairwork in "Freer practice" in fixed pairs rather than a mingle, and take feedback from four or five pairs instead of the whole room. Run "Email" once, with two pairs reporting, rather than hearing every pair. Monitor one half of the room during "Controlled practice" and the other half during "Freer practice".
A class with no photocopier	Put the exercises from Handout 3: Practice on the board for learners to copy into their notebooks, and read any text aloud twice instead of printing it. The board plan above is this lesson's minimum - with that on the board, it runs on no paper at all.
An online class	Send Handouts 1 to 4 in the chat before the lesson and put the board plan on a shared slide. Use breakout rooms for "Email" and visit each room once. Have learners type the controlled answers in the chat, so you see every answer at once instead of nominating.
A different age group	With teenagers at this level, cut the academic framing and keep the examples in their own world; the forms do not change. With adults in a work context, swap the lesson's texts for ones from their own field and keep the analysis as it stands.

Checking learning

The email uses at least six complex patterns accurately. No infinitives after prepositional to or after It's no use / worth. 7 out of 8 or better on Handout 3, Exercise A.

Teacher's reflection

Did the noun test help students with to as a preposition? Was the possessive gerund used appropriately (formal register)?

Handout 1: Staff Survey Comments

Name: ______________________________ Date: ______________

ANNUAL STAFF SURVEY: Selected anonymous comments

"I object to being asked to work late without any notice. I have trouble finding transport after 8 pm."
"Honestly, there's no point in having a two-hour meeting every Monday. Most of it could be an email."
"I resent my manager's taking the credit for my ideas. Last month I heard him present my report to the directors as his own."
"It's no use complaining to HR; nothing ever changes. I can't imagine them taking our comments seriously."
"I'm committed to doing a good job, but I can't help feeling undervalued. A simple 'thank you' is worth trying!"
"I saw a colleague crying in the car park last week. In addition to improving salaries, the company should look at stress."
"I really appreciate being allowed to work from home on Fridays. I look forward to seeing more flexible options."

Handout 2: Language Analysis

Name: ______________________________ Date: ______________

Find an example of each pattern in the comments.

Discuss.

In comment 3, the writer says my manager's taking. How would you say this less formally? ______________________________
Why is it heard him present (comment 3) but saw a colleague crying (comment 6)? ______________________________
In I object to being asked, why is the form being asked? ______________________________

Pattern	Example
object to + -ing
have trouble + -ing
there's no point in + -ing
possessive + gerund
sense verb + object + base verb
sense verb + object + -ing
it's no use + -ing
imagine + object + -ing
can't help + -ing
look forward to + -ing

Handout 3: Practice

Name: ______________________________ Date: ______________

A. Rewrite each sentence using the word given. Keep the meaning the same.

B. Correct the errors.

Complaining won't help. (no use) → It's ______________________________
It's pointless to wait for the bus. It never comes. (point) → There's ______________________________
I find it hard to understand his accent. (difficulty) → I have ______________________________
I don't think he will resign. I can't believe it. (imagine) → I can't ______________________________
Visiting the museum is a good idea. (worth) → The museum ______________________________
I don't want to work on Sundays. I'm against it. (object) → I ______________________________
I watched the whole match: the team scored twice. (saw) → I saw ______________________________
Is it OK if I open the window? (mind) → Do you ______________________________
It's worth to visit Galle. ______________________________
I'm looking forward to meet you. ______________________________
I can't imagine him to leave the company. ______________________________
There's no point to argue with her. ______________________________
She's committed to improve conditions for workers. ______________________________

Handout 4: Workplace Scenarios and Email Task

Discuss each scenario. What would you say to the manager?

Useful language

Your email (about 100 words):

..........................................................................................

I object to ... -ing / being ...
There's no point in ... -ing
It's no use ... -ing; it's worth ... -ing
I can't imagine ... -ing
I'd appreciate your ... -ing
I look forward to ... -ing

Scenario
1	Your manager often asks you to stay late on Fridays with no warning.
2	A colleague presented your project as his own at a meeting.
3	Weekly meetings last two hours and achieve very little.
4	The company is considering cancelling the work-from-home day.

Answer Key

Handout 2

Handout 3, Exercise A

Handout 3, Exercise B

Common errors to watch for

object to + -ing: I object to being asked · have trouble: I have trouble finding transport · no point in: there's no point in having · possessive + gerund: my manager's taking the credit · sense verb + base: I heard him present my report · sense verb + -ing: I saw a colleague crying · no use: It's no use complaining · imagine + object + -ing: I can't imagine them taking · can't help: I can't help feeling · look forward to: I look forward to seeing
I resent my manager taking the credit. · 2. heard him present = the whole presentation; saw ... crying = an action in progress. · 3. It's a passive gerund: someone asks the writer.
It's no use complaining. · 2. There's no point (in) waiting for the bus. · 3. I have difficulty (in) understanding his accent. · 4. I can't imagine him / his resigning. · 5. The museum is worth visiting. · 6. I object to working on Sundays. · 7. I saw the team score twice. · 8. Do you mind me / my opening the window?
It's worth visiting Galle. / Galle is worth visiting. · 2. I'm looking forward to meeting you. · 3. I can't imagine him leaving the company. · 4. There's no point (in) arguing with her. · 5. She's committed to improving conditions for workers.

Error	Correction
I object to work late.	I object to working late.
It's no use to complain.	It's no use complaining.
I can't imagine him to leave.	I can't imagine him leaving.
I saw him to cross the road.	I saw him cross / crossing the road.
I look forward to hear from you.	I look forward to hearing from you.

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Written by RCF English to the RCF English international standard: levelled by the CEFR, original throughout, and suitable for classrooms in any country. Last reviewed 22 September 2026.

Complex Verb Patterns ESL Lesson Plan (C1, 60 Minutes)

About this lesson

At a glance

Download this lesson plan

Aims

Language analysis

Key patterns

Meaning and use

Pronunciation

Concept-checking questions

Anticipated problems and solutions

Board plan

Warm-up5 minutes · Pairs, then whole class

Presentation20 minutes · Individual, groups, whole class

Controlled practice10 minutes · Individual, then pairs, then whole class

Freer practice18 minutes · Groups of four, then pairs, then whole class

Feedback and wrap-up7 minutes · Whole class

Differentiation

Adapting the lesson

Checking learning

Teacher's reflection

Handout 1: Staff Survey Comments

Handout 2: Language Analysis

Handout 3: Practice

Handout 4: Workplace Scenarios and Email Task

Answer Key

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Elsewhere in Global English

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