Several questions that trouble me ...

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JustForFun  #526840  Fri, 13 Jun 08 02:38 PM
1. After "If I", we must make the next word past tense ? Like If I SAT next to you, or If I SIT next to you ?

2. Why doesn't have instead of doesn't has ? Since doesn't means singular and has is categorized as singular ? He doesn't have instead of doesn't has ?

3. Why "let it go" instead of "let it goes" ? I thought "it" stands for singular ? And they for plural ..
  
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Philip  #526906  Fri, 13 Jun 08 04:35 PM
1.  Will it be ok if I sit next to you?  Would it be ok if I sat next to you?   Both are correct,
2.  The form of the auxiliary verb agrees with the subject:  Does he have?  Do you have?  Do they have?
3.  'Let it go' is a case of the pure infinitive ('to' is eliminated.  [Let us know, make me understand]
  
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CalifJim  #527934  Mon, 16 Jun 08 05:39 AM
1.  After "If I" you don't have to make the next word past tense, no.

2.  See Re: Have or has.

3.  In Let it go, go is an infinitive without to -- a bare infinitive -- invariable -- not an inflected form.

Let it go.  Let us go.  Let them go.  Let Jack see it.  Let the children see it.

let, make, have, and help all follow the same pattern:  Make him go.  Have her fix it.   Help me do this. 

CJ 

  
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Philip  #528332  Mon, 16 Jun 08 09:22 PM
Thanks, CJ, for clearing up something for me.  In my post just before yours I used the term 'pure' for the infinitive.  I knew that wasn't the term I wanted, but I couldn't come up with 'bare' at the time.
  
CalifJim  #528429  Tue, 17 Jun 08 03:57 AM
There are so many terms for the same thing, I just thought that pure infinitive was another term for bare infinitive.  Pretty good for a made-up term!  Smile

I think there are other terms for it, too, but they are slipping out of my sieve-like mind just now.

CJ 

  
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