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The verbs
let, help,
make, and have
can be used in an
unusual way: they can be followed by an object and
the base form
of a verb (a simple verb form: no -s,
no past tense, no -ing).
Examples:
Let me do
that for you.
Did anyone help you write this report?
Bob's father made him apologize to his sister.
Please have someone clean
up this mess!
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Special Notes: Let
and Help
| 1. |
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Let cannot be used with to:
not this:
*Will your boss let
you to leave work early?
but this:
Will your boss let
you leave work early?
not this:
*No, I can't let you to borrow my
car.
but this:
No, I can't let you
borrow my car.
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| 2. |
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The meaning of let in the sentences above
is permit or allow
to:
Will your boss let you leave work early? =
Will your boss permit you to leave work early? or
Will
your boss allow you to
leave work early?
No, I can't let you borrow my car. =
No, I can't permit you to borrow my car. or
No,
I can't allow you to
borrow my car.
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| 3. |
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Help is sometimes used with and object
and to
plus a verb (especially
in speaking), but many prefer
it without to, especially in writing):
Judy helped me finish my assignment.
(preferred by many for writing)
Judy helped me to finish my
assignment.
(sometimes heard in speaking)
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Special Note: Make
and Have
Both make and have are often used with an object and
a base form to show causes:
Bob made his brother clean
their room.
Bob had his brother clean
their room.
Note, however, that
| 1. |
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In "Bob made
his brother clean their room,"
made is very
strong. The meaning is about
the same as "Bob
forced his brother to clean
their room." (Bob's brother didn't want to
clean their room, but he had no choice.) |
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| 2. |
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In "Bob had
his brother clean their room," had
is not nearly as strong. The meaning
is about the
same as
"Bob made
arrangements for
his brother
to clean their
room." (Bob asked his
brother to clean
their room and Bob's brother agreed to do
it.) |
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Special Note: Get
+ Object + to
+ Verb
The verb get can be used to show a meaning which is
similar
to the meaning of made and had
in the sentences
above, but the grammar is different:
sentences with get
use to
before the verb
that follows the object:
Bob got his brother to clean their room.
In the sentence above, the
meaning is about the same
as "Bob convinced (or persuaded) his brother to clean
their
room." (Bob had to persuade his brother to clean
their
room; Bob's brother didn't offer to clean the room
and
he wasn't willing to clean their room until Bob
convinced
him to do it.)
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