0

Why do I have to put "to be" instead of "is" or "will be" in the sentence below. Could you explain what grammar rule this is? What I should seek in Google?

I didn't expect the graphics of the video game to be detailed.

I mean graphics turned out better then I thought.

2
  • 1
    didn't expected is ungrammatical. When forming a negated past tense using did + not, the form of the verb is the unmarked/bare infinitive, here expect. I did not expect...
    – Tim
    Feb 22, 2019 at 10:55
  • thx. I've fixed that. Feb 22, 2019 at 14:08

1 Answer 1

2

When we use the verb expect to refer to a future probability, and the meaning of the verb expect is "to anticipate", the pattern is

expect something|someone will + {bare infinitive}

or

expect something|someone + {marked infinitive}

or

expect something|someone to be {adjective phrase}

or

expect something|someone will be {adjective phrase}

I expect the app will crash.

I expect the app to crash.

I expect the app to be buggy.

I expect the app will be buggy.

When speaking of an anticipated future possibility in the past, the pattern with will is not used.

I expected the app to crash.

I did not expect the app to crash.

I expected the app to be buggy.

I did not expect the app to be buggy.

But you can use would instead of will:

I expected the app would be buggy.

NOTE: A relatively small subset of native speakers, not all of them, use the verb expect also to mean "believe" or "suspect" and for these speakers the following non-standard pattern is available:

expect something|someone is|was {adjective phrase}

What is wrong with the dog? It's just lying there.
-- I expect it is sick.

or past tense:

What was wrong with the dog? It was just lying there.
-- I expect it was sick.

Your Answer

By clicking “Post Your Answer”, you agree to our terms of service and acknowledge that you have read and understand our privacy policy and code of conduct.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged or ask your own question.