Be free

Question

The balance is due and we have advised you of several options that are available, all of which are in an attempt to help you be free of this debt.

What is the grammatical form and function of "be free of this debt"?

Why they used "be" and not "to be"? Is it a subjunctive sentence?

Persian Learner · Accepted Answer

JigneshbharatiWhat is the grammatical form and function of "be free of this debt"?

It's a bare infinitival clause functioning as the complement of 'help'.

JigneshbharatiWhy they used "be" and not "to be"?

The omission of 'to' is optional; it could be 'to be'.

JigneshbharatiIs it a subjunctive sentence?

No.

Some verbs are followed by to-less infinitives as their complement.

e.g

She made the children clean up their own rooms.

She had the maid clean all the rooms.

She bid the children be quiet.

They let the children stay up late on weekends.

He helped the old woman (to) cross the street.

And after certain verbs of perception-- feel, hear, listen to, look at, notice, observe, overhear, see, etc.

e.g

She watched the passengers get off the bus.

BillJ · Answer

Jigneshbharati
The balance is due and we have advised you of several options that are available, all of which are in an attempt to help you be free of this debt.
What is the grammatical form and function of "be free of this debt"?
Why they used "be" and not "to be"? Is it a subjunctive sentence?

The balance is due and we have advised you of several options that are available, all of which are in an attempt to help you (to) be free of this debt.

No: it's not a subjunctive clause. It's an infinitival clause functioning as complement of the verb "help".

"Help" is one of a few verbs that are found either with or without to, and there is no difference in function whether it is included or not.

Other verbs where the subordinator to is optional are "know", and the modals "ought" and "dare".

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