Go see, come see

Question

It looks as if come see and go see are instances of infinitives without to. It is not very logical, as only come and go are used in this way, not came, went, comes, goes, coming, going.I go see. I did go see. I will go see. I should go see. I didn't go see. Go see! I go see my mother often.He did go see, He will go see. He should go see. He didn't go see.But not:He goes see. He went see. I went see. I am going see.The fact that you can say, "I go see." but not, "He goes see," suggests this is a mere contraction rather than a reasoned construction.Any reflections?

Cool Breeze · Accepted Answer

The examples you mentioned that are used are instances which have become so common in informal English that they sound good and anything that sounds good in English tends to be regarded as idiomatic English no matter how ungrammatical it is. I agree with you.

CB

Electrum · Answer

Cool Breezehe examples you mentioned that are used are instances which have become so common in informal English that they sound good and anything that sounds good in English tends to be regarded as idiomatic English no matter how ungrammatical it is. I agree with you.

Thanks. I did find something in Wikipedia. Come take a look!

Where a statement of intention involves two separate activities, it is acceptable for speakers of AmE to use to go plus bare infinitive. Speakers of BrE would instead use to go and plus bare infinitive. Thus, where a speaker of AmE may say I'll go take a bath, BrE speakers would say I'll go and have a bath. (Both can also use the form to go to instead to suggest that the action may fail, as in He went to take/have a bath, but the bath was full of children.) Similarly, to come plus bare infinitive is acceptable to speakers of AmE, where speakers of BrE would instead use to come and plus bare infinitive. Thus, where a speaker of AmE may say come see what I bought, BrE speakers would say come and see what I've bought (notice the present perfect: a common British preference).
Use of prepositions before days denoted by a single word. Where British people would say She resigned on Thursday, Americans often say She resigned Thursday, but both forms are common in American usage. Occasionally the preposition is also absent when referring to months: I'll be here December (although this usage is generally limited to colloquial speech).

Go see, come see

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