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Anonymous Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

Usage of "join"

Hi,

When I substitue "help" with "join" in the sentence below the sentence does not sound right.

"Come, help us celebrate as Jack turns one" to "Come, join us celebrate as Jack turns one".

For some reason "join us celebrate" does not sound right. If "join" is to be included I feel it should be "join us to celebrate Jack's first birthday". Could someone please clarify which sentence is right if possible with an explanation breaking down the sentence into its basic constituents.

Thanks in advance.

Darshin

(India)
  

Top answer

-- and that doesn't work. At least, a few conjunctions are called for: Come, join us to celebrate as Jack turns one. Come and join us to celebrate as Jack turns one.

— Mister Micawber

  • -- and that doesn't work.
  • At least, a few conjunctions are called for: Come, join us to celebrate as Jack turns one.
  • Come and join us to celebrate as Jack turns one.
  • Come-- join us and celebrate as Jack turns one .
  • Help is a different beast: it can take the bare infinitive as verb complement-- help us bake/celebrate/wash the dishes .
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2 Answers
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Join and celebrate are both trying to be the main verbs in the sentence-- along with come!-- and that doesn't work. At least, a few conjunctions are called for:

Come, join us to celebrate as Jack turns one.
Come and join us to celebrate as Jack turns one.
Come-- join us and celebrate as Jack turns one.

Help is a different beast: it
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Hi Micawber,

Many thanks for the answer. Your explanation was just what I was looking for, and in the right context.

I will definitely come here more often.

Thanks again.

Dash
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