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ESL forum > Grammar and Linguistics > help + noun + gerund or infinitive or v1    

help + noun + gerund or infinitive or v1



maretha trie
Indonesia

help + noun + gerund or infinitive or v1
 
Can you help me ( to paint / painting / paint ) my living room next weekend?
 
Could you help me what is the appropriate one? Why?
 
Thank you for your attention.
 

2 Jun 2016      





korova-daisy
Russian Federation

In modern English the bare infinitive (paint) should be used after he verb help. About 40-50 years ago, you could meet the variant with to infinitive (to paint) as well. 

2 Jun 2016     



maretha trie
Indonesia

thanks a bunch for your help @Korova-daisy

2 Jun 2016     



Gi2gi
Georgia

I would say, in US English �help somebody do something � is more common, while the Brits prefer �help somebody to do something � 

2 Jun 2016     



yanogator
United States

Giorgi is right about that.
 
Bruce 

2 Jun 2016     



msjam2
Poland

Two structures are correct, that is:
 
HELP SOMEBODY DO and HELP SOMEBODY TO DO
 
You can say, "This Saturday I am helping my mum cook,"
and you can say "This Saturday I am helping my mum to cook."
 
Help somebody DO is more common, though. 
 
 

2 Jun 2016     



almaz
United Kingdom

As I recall, help is one of the few verbs which can be followed by a bare infinitive (as well as the to-infinitive obviously). The others tend to be in set phrases like let go and make do etc.
 
And if Google�s Ngram Viewer is anything to go by, there seems to be a growing preference among BrE writers for help + bare infinitive. Curiously, both AmE and BrE preferred help + to-infinitive right up to the late 1920s - which is perhaps what Julia was thinking of when she suggested that the construction is considered dated. It�s still a matter of choice, of course.

2 Jun 2016     



alerac
Argentina

Both are correct, I tend to use more Help somebody DO sth. 

7 Jul 2016