Questions tagged [bare-infinitives]

For questions about the usage of the base form of a verb without using "to". For questions about the base form of a verb using "to", see "to-infinitives".

Filter by
Sorted by
Tagged with
2 votes
2 answers
70 views

"I was made to laugh"

We know that we use bare infinitive with certain verbs like make. I made him laugh. (Active voice) He was made to laugh by me. (Passive voice) Why is the bare infinitive used in the active voice ...
Jvlnarasimharao's user avatar
1 vote
0 answers
36 views

Lacking of water or Lack of water

Which of the following sentences is grammatically correct? Lacking of water makes Death Valley a desert, but it is by no means devoid. Lack of water makes Death Valley a desert, but it is by no means ...
Cheng Lu's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
1k views

"A myth come true." Is the base form of "come" legitimate?

source: When selected Cyclops, ready for your orders. I see it all. Awaiting orders. A myth come true. Always on standby. Yes, commander? (https://moapyr.fandom.com/wiki/Cyclops_Walker/Quotes) ...
Zhang Jian's user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
39 views

have someone come or coming?

In the following, should "come" or "coming" be used? If only "come" is correct, why? The first sentence comes from a news story relating to the oldest dog in the world. ...
Apollyon's user avatar
  • 5,872
0 votes
1 answer
27 views

video of someone do/doing something

which of the following is grammatically correct? A video of someone doing something. A video of someone do something. I am fairly sure only the first one is grammatically correct, but I would ...
Alon's user avatar
  • 168
2 votes
2 answers
198 views

Get to followed by a gerund or an infinitive?

I got to poking around and I found this oyster. He gets to feeling ashamed of the showing he is making. The new neighbours got to know each other. I'd really like to see you again and get to know you ...
Abid's user avatar
  • 309
2 votes
2 answers
104 views

Be + past simple verb

I was watching a video and I heard the narrator said: “She had requested his brain be studied” And I thought it was wrong, but some grammar correctors, like Grammarly, show that this is correct, my ...
Mary's user avatar
  • 111
1 vote
1 answer
22 views

Is "run" in the past participle

That doesn’t mean lying down and becoming fooled, or letting foreign corporations run uncontrolled. I'm not sure about the structure. Is "run" the past participle or base form (bare ...
ForOU's user avatar
  • 1,391
0 votes
2 answers
84 views

Which one is correct? When asked to comment / When he being asked to comment / When asking to comment / When he asked comment

I'm doing my grammar homework, but it really kills me. ( ).He refused to given any explanation. A. When asked to comment on the quality of the goods. B. When he being asked to comment. C. When asking ...
Beau Garçon Idol Lucianus's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
44 views

Why is bare infinitive used here?

This is the sentence, and I am not sure why 'be' is used here: The industry understood how important it was historically that smoking be accepted as a public behavior. Early in the twentieth century, ...
Eren Yucel's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
82 views

What- Phrase in a cleft sentence

I was reading about how lengthy wording is moved to end the Clause by placing everything in a what-phrase at the beginning of the clause. And, I found this example- What he did was exceed our ...
RADS's user avatar
  • 471
0 votes
0 answers
25 views

Do bare infinitives/to infinitives/gerunds refer to both unfinished action and finished action?

Do infinitives and gerunds refer to both unfinished action and finished action? For example, I started building a house. In this case, “building a house” refers to unfinished action. I finished ...
user09827's user avatar
  • 305
3 votes
1 answer
218 views

Why can "to" be or not be omitted in the following?

They acted as if they were mourning him rather than helping him (to) start a new life. The first step to help him was (to) give him a good education. You can omit to in the first sentence. But you ...
alexchenco's user avatar
  • 7,125
0 votes
1 answer
69 views

Gerunds, infinitives or imperatives

I have a doubt with the use of gerunds, infinitives and imperatives in a specific kind of use. I'm a native Spanish speaker, so if I want to say: "Cumplir promesas" How would I say it in ...
Mary's user avatar
  • 111
0 votes
1 answer
53 views

When can I use infinitive "be" after WH question words?

I watched 'Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl' yesterday, and I've heard some phrases which include 'be' after question words in the bare infinitive form. For example: "Where ...
Sokratmillman's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
137 views

auxiliary verb or bare infinitive?

"She might have been waiting for us" ‘Have been waiting’ forms the present perfect progressive tense ‘might’ is a modal verb The verb that follows modal verbs is suppose to be a bare ...
some random girl's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
33 views

Is it grammatically correct to say "the smartest thing I have done is stop junk food"?

Could you tell me if it's correct and natural to say the following? The smartest thing I have done is stop eating junk food. If it's not, thend would it be more natural if I said this way? The ...
Dmytro O'Hope's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
628 views

than+bare infinitive?

Can a bare infinitive come after ‘than’? The transportation industry has always done more than carry travelers from one destination to another. I think it would be appropriate to have “to carry” or “...
wannano's user avatar
  • 41
0 votes
3 answers
167 views

X makes it look huge or makes it looks huge?

My issue with Kohinoor Black Watch is that the dial shape makes it look very huge on my skinny 6 and a quarter inch but Pratap's (a watch) curvature makes it look a bit more toned down. Question - ...
Pranav Gautam's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
287 views

The verb "to know" followed by a bare infinitive

Some grammars say that KNOW should be followed by a bare infinitive. I never knew a fellow work so indefatigably. However, some natives say that it should be I never knew a fellow to work so ...
user1425's user avatar
  • 4,014
0 votes
2 answers
341 views

Passive voice with have + object + bare infinitive

I was learning C2 level grammar structures when I came across this structure. It is mentioned in passive voice category. The structure is Have + Object + bare infinitive. Now I am confused that ...
Sudhir Sharma's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
1k views

Function of Bare Infinitive

I have recently learned about infinitives. I know that infinitives act as nouns in the sentence rather than verbs, and that most infinitives are 'to + verb'. Now bare infinitives have created a lot of ...
Sudhir Sharma's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
104 views

Infinitives with causitive verbs bid, command, order

1). I bade him go. 2). I ordered/commanded him to go. Till now I have thought bid, order and Command have almost same meaning except some nuances. But why Bare infinitive is used for bid and to-...
ramteja guthikonda's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
52 views

Usage of bare infinitive

1). Do you wish to watch TV or to go to bed early. 2). Do you wish to watch TV or go to bed early. What is the difference in meaning between these two sentences? My friend is saying second sentence ...
ramteja guthikonda's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
151 views

In the sentence "I watched the balloon rise", "rise" is in what verb tense? And why?

I watched the balloon rise. I understand that "rise" in this sentence is not in the 3rd person, because otherwise it would have "s" and it doesn't. Is it infinitive? The why not &...
Monica Vega's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
218 views

Bare infinitive after except

According to these two links link1 link2, we should use bare infinitive after “But, than, except” But I have read the below sentence somewhere She had no choice except to wait for the next train. ...
ramteja guthikonda's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
56 views

Usage and meaning of sentences with WISH

I wish him to believe it. What is the exact meaning of this sentence? Does it mean “I wish he believes it”?
ramteja guthikonda's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
221 views

'Bare infinitive' or "to infinitive" [duplicate]

Need advice, please. Trying to explain why not to use the "to infinitive" I got the question after it was read in a textbook. "The queen, what she does her entire life is lay eggs" "lay" is used ...
Pubwie's user avatar
  • 37
0 votes
1 answer
95 views

How "Is + verb" possible?

We can use a full infinitive or a gerund as a complement of the 'be'-verb. For example, The first thing I do in the morning is to check my mobile phone. The first thing I do in the morning is ...
Sandip Kumar Mandal's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
7k views

"help someone do" vs. "help someone to do" [duplicate]

Which sentence is correct and why? Could you help the carnivore cut his meat? Could you help the carnivore to cut his meat?
Abc Def's user avatar
  • 11
-1 votes
2 answers
120 views

Omitting “to” due to implicit elements

I don’t know if there’s a general rule for when to omit "to" before a verb that normally requires it. In my native language, the verbs in bold in the example below would all be in infinitive (to + ...
Louisr's user avatar
  • 107
1 vote
1 answer
602 views

Instead of be or instead of being?

I know after 'instead of' verb-ing is used. But I have found a sentence : "My father wants me to be bold instead of be cautious". Is it correct? Can we use 'instead of being cautious' in the ...
Sandip Kumar Mandal's user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
226 views

Nothing but to be or nothing but be?

I am a bit confused whether bare Infinitive is used after 'but' or not. Which one is correct? We want nothing but to be free. We want nothing but be free.
Sandip Kumar Mandal's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
115 views

Gerund, infinitive or root form

“Once you crossed the whole camp on foot, asking for a glass of water is not a surprise”. I used the gerund (asking) because it sounds to me like the correct form in this case, once I couldn’t find ...
Louisr's user avatar
  • 107
1 vote
1 answer
82 views

The use of the word "except" with "to" + a verb

I read in one grammar book that after except we have to use a bare infinitive. For example: She had nothing to do except spend money. But in this dictionary they provide an example with a verb and ...
Dmytro O'Hope's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
260 views

Perfect gerund usage

She denied seeing him yesterday. vs She denied having seen him yesterday. What is the difference in meaning between these two sentences?
Ramteja Guthikonda's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
68 views

Usage of direct infinitive or bare infinitive

1) She did no more than sleep the whole day. (Or) She did no more than sleeping the whole day 2) She did nothing but cry. (Or) She did nothing but crying which of the sentences ...
Ramteja Guthikonda's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
2k views

Why is it supposed to be "couldn't get" instead of "couldn't got"?

Why is "Why couldn't she get tickets" correct instead of "Why couldn't she got tickets"? Why is it get in the present instead of got in the past tense?
user avatar
2 votes
1 answer
433 views

"all they did was (to) leave"

I've come across this sentence: [...] I've spent my all life making people happy when all they did was leave. Shouldn't it be "To leave" or something?
Jason O'Neil's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
742 views

except drink / to drink / drinking - difference

She had nothing to eat except drink water She had nothing to eat except to drink water? She had nothing to eat except drinking water Are all the above sentences grammatical? IF So, What is the ...
ramteja guthikonda's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
248 views

"Sue told Johnsy not to move and (to) promise her..."

Sue said, "Johnsy, don't move and promise me not to look out of the window." Sue told Johnsy not to move and to promise her not to look out of the window. (OR) Sue told Johnsy not to move ...
Thura Htun's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
49 views

Is it possible to use a bare infinitive for the object of an "of"?

For example, "I described the scene of him drive away."
karlalou's user avatar
  • 1,514
1 vote
0 answers
377 views

To infinitive VS bare infinitive

He made me laugh(active) I was made to laugh by him(passive voice) In the active voice made is followed by personal object and bare infinitive. But in the passive voice made is followed ...
Jvlnarasimharao's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
138 views

All I did today was hang around the house and watch TV

I saw this sentence yesterday and wonder why it uses the bare infinitive (hang/watch) instead of the to-infinitive (to hang/to watch). All I did today was hang around the house and watch TV. Any ...
fbessho's user avatar
  • 125
2 votes
2 answers
280 views

using bare infinitive after did

So according to rule we should use bare infinitive after modals and auxiliary verb do, so my question is that, is this sentence grammatically correct What he did was wrong. Or it should be What ...
user98725's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
113 views

omit the infinitive mark

Another green strategy is (to) use less ink, which is what many people already do. In this sentence, do i have to use "to use" or is it okay to omit 'to' and just leave "use"?
Jay Park's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
125 views

Can a to infinitive and a gerund both be an object of the verb teach?

To infinitive and gerund can be an object of the verb teach? I wonder if these sentences are grammatically correct or incorrect and reasons. 1) I teach you to speak English. 2) I teach you ...
Lee's user avatar
  • 11
1 vote
1 answer
376 views

why "happen" is not given an "s" in this sentence? "I have seen it happen to friends." [duplicate]

I saw this sentence in a book, and the verb "happen" has no "s": I have seen it happen to friends. May the sentence be wrong? and if it is correct in what cases we can not give "s" to a verb?
N SH's user avatar
  • 41
-1 votes
2 answers
1k views

Why Wait or why to wait

Which is correct Why wait until tomorrow. Why to wait until tomorrow
Pradeep's user avatar
  • 345
0 votes
1 answer
111 views

I have never heard him to say it

I have never heard him to say it Now, I realize that the "to" is not supposed to be there. But why? Grammatically "say" in this sentence is an infinitive. Or it is pretending to be one. I am using ...
Katerina Matthews's user avatar