Dread biasanya diikuti oleh gerund atau kata sifat kepemilikan (possessive adjective) + gerund. Perkecualian yang paling umum adalah saat dread diikuti oleh infinitive saat digunakan bersama kata kerja think dalam ekspresi I dread to think. Dread juga dapat diikuti oleh kata benda.
Contoh
- I dread diving off the high board.
- I dread driving at night.
- I dread your leaving someday.
- I dread his losing his way home.
- I dread to think what might happen.
- I dread to think about him disappearing.
- I dread conflict.
- I dread the night.