Bare Infinitive usage

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Nddad  #513385  Wed, 14 May 08 03:54 AM

1) He made her (to) type up the letter.

2) We saw her (to) wash the dishes.

Q1) Why should we use bare infinitive in these sentences ?

Q2) Is there any difference in meaning between with (to) and without (to) in the sentence?

3) We helped him get on a taxi.  <->  We helped him to get on a taxi.

Q1) Is there any difference in meaning between with (to) and without (to) in the sentence?

Thanks for your help.

Regards, Terry

  
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Clive  #513412  Wed, 14 May 08 05:10 AM

Hi,

1) He made her (to) type up the letter.

2) We saw her (to) wash the dishes.

Q1) Why should we use bare infinitive in these sentences ? Because that is the standard usage with these two verbs. In other words, it's how the language has evolved.Smile

Q2) Is there any difference in meaning between with (to) and without (to) in the sentence?

'To' with #1 does not make any sense.

'To' with #2 gives the meaning 'We saw her in order to wash the dishes'. This sounds like we went to her and said 'We want to wash the dishes, please permit us to'. It's not a very likely meaning.

3) We helped him get on in(to) a taxi.  <->  We helped him to get  on in(to) a taxi.

Q1) Is there any difference in meaning between with (to) and without (to) in the sentence? No.

Best wishes, Clive

  
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Nddad  #513417  Wed, 14 May 08 05:38 AM

Clive,

In my understanding, there's no special reason why bare infinitive is used in the sentence. And it's standard usage.

Is it correct ??

Thanks a lot. Terry

 

  
Clive  #513420  Wed, 14 May 08 05:45 AM

Hi,

You could say that. Or you could say that some verbs require the bare infinitive.

Clive

  
CalifJim  #513446  Wed, 14 May 08 08:10 AM
Use the bare infinitive, not the full infinitive, after the modals (can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, must).

Use the bare infinitive, not the full infinitive, after forms of the verbs make, let, have, see, hear, watch, listen to, feel and an object.

Use either the bare infinitive or the full infinitive after forms of help and an object (with no difference in meaning).

We can go.  We should go.

We made him go.  We let them go.  We had them go.  We saw them go.  We heard them sing.  We listened to her sing.  We felt the floor shake.

They helped us load the car.  They helped us to load the car. 

Nddad
Why should we use bare infinitive in these sentences ?
You should do it because it is the right thing to do.

CJ 

  
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Cool Breeze  #513448  Wed, 14 May 08 08:24 AM
 In addition to what has been said: never use a bare/plain infinitive after a verb in the passive voice:

He was made to write an apology. He was seen to enter the building.

CB 

  
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