Verbs in a clause

Question

I've heard about some rule saying this:The verb after the main verb is a clause must always be in its full infinitive form.Is it always correct?

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

The verb after the main verb in a clause must always be in its full infinitive form.

I imagine that at least the bare infinitive is sometimes encountered.

KhoshtipMan · Answer

Mister MicawberI imagine that at least the bare infinitive is sometimes encountered.

What times? Or for what main verbs, the subsequent verb (in a clause) is bare infinitive please?
Is there any list of them?

Mister Micawber · Answer

KhoshtipManIs there any list of them?

Oh, probably somewhere.

I helped unload the car.
I made him wash the car.
I saw him enter the building.

But for that matter, this is not full infinitive either: I saw him entering the building.

KhoshtipMan · Answer

So for the verbs help, make, see and let, the subsequent verb (when it's a verb not a gerund) comes in bare infinitive form. Is it right?

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Read this:

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:English_catenative_verbs

KhoshtipMan · Answer

AlpheccaStarsRead this:https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:English_catenative_verbs

Thank you. But it does not speak about the verb "make". I thought it's a complete reference.

AlpheccaStars · Answer

It is a good reference to catenative verbs, where the verbs follow one another.
Make is a different class - it's one of the causative verbs.

http://www.englishpage.com/minitutorials/let.html

CalifJim · Answer

KhoshtipManSo for the verbs help, make, see and let, the subsequent verb (when it's a verb not a gerund) comes in bare infinitive form. Is it right?

Not exactly.

make and let take the bare infinitive.
help takes the bare infinitive or the full infinitive (infinitive with "to").
get takes the full infinitive or the -ing form.
see and hear take the bare infinitive or the -ing form.
find and catch take the -ing form.

And so on, and so on. There are very many catenative verbs.
_________

When you study these verbs, you'll find it easier if you organize them into groups.
I. Those that take no object before the second verb, e.g., to avoid doing something.
II. Those that take an object before the second verb, e.g., to promise someone to do something.

Within each of the two major groups you can classify them by which verb forms they take: bare infinitive, full infinitive, -ing form, -en form (past participle). For those verbs that take more than one form of the second verb, be sure to note whether each form has the same meaning or whether each form has a different meaning, e.g., "to remember" takes the full infinitive or the -ing form, but they don't mean the same thing.

These are just suggestions. If you find another way of organizing this material that you are more comfortable with, by all means use it.

CJ

Verbs in a clause

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