0
BarbaraPA Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

Help to

I need to get more opinions on "help to" to figure out if it's personal preference, regional variation, or my just being wrong.

I see a lot of people writing constructions like "She helped Jim to clean up the mess."

I would delete that "to" in a heartbeat. But is it actually wrong to include it? Is it optional? It just looks and sounds so wrong to me.

Before I steer one more person in the wrong direction by telling them to omit the "to," I'd like to hear from others.

Thanks,
Barb
  

Top answer

Hi GG Since I began studying English at age 11, I have never encountered a grammar expert who considers to wrong after help in the active voice. I know omitting it is more common in AmE than BrE. Cheers CB

— Cool Breeze

  • Hi GG Since I began studying English at age 11, I have never encountered a grammar expert who considers to wrong after help in the active voice.
  • I know omitting it is more common in AmE than BrE.
  • Cheers CB
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

3 Answers
0
Hi GG

Since I began studying English at age 11, I have never encountered a grammar expert who considers to wrong after help in the active voice. I know omitting it is more common in AmE than BrE.

Cheers
CB
0
0
Okay, not wrong to have it, but not required right?
0
0
Grammar GeekOkay, not wrong to have it, but not required right?
Certainly not required, no no! Help Me Make It Through The Night would sound awkward even to my ear if it were Help Me To Make It Through The Night.
0

Related Questions