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Persian Learner Posted 10 years ago
Grammar

Base-verb confusion

Hi.

Feifei
Why are you so tired Rob? All you did was ask the kids to tidy up.

Why couldn't it be: "...was to ask...", or "...was asking...." ?
  

Top answer

All you did was to ask the kids to tidy up. Not wrong, but the repetition of 'to' sounds awkward. All you did was asking the kids to tidy up.

— Clive

  • All you did was to ask the kids to tidy up.
  • Not wrong, but the repetition of 'to' sounds awkward.
  • All you did was asking the kids to tidy up.
  • I wouldn't call this wrong, but it sounds odd and I never hear anyone say it.
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3 Answers
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All you did was to ask the kids to tidy up. Not wrong, but the repetition of 'to' sounds awkward.

All you did was asking the kids to tidy up. I wouldn't call this wrong, but it sounds odd and I never hear anyone say it.
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CliveAll you did was asking the kids to tidy up. I wouldn't call this wrong,
This doesn't sound possible to me. I would call it wrong.
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Persian LearnerAll you did was ask the kids to tidy up.
Correct. It can also be "to ask", but not "asking". It's based on the form of "do" that is used.

According to Huddleston (Introduction to English Grammar, Cambridge Press), it's -ing after "doing" and the plain verb or the full infinitive in all other cases.
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