Ch 29 · Lesson 9English · Chapter 29 · Lesson 9 · Grammar primer
Make me wait, let me go, get him to sign
Make and let take no to: she made me wait. Get keeps it: I got him to sign. Help takes either: she helped me (to) carry the boxes.
The short version
Make and let take the verb with no to
.
Why?Hide
Make and let take the verb with no to: she made me wait, they let us leave early. Allow means the same as let but keeps its to: they allow us to leave. In the passive, make gets its to back: he was made to wait. For let, the passive uses allow: we were allowed to leave.
Make, let and get
(no choice) and (you may) take the verb with . (you persuade them) keeps its to:
.Not made me to wait..Not let us to leave..Not got him sign.
- She let him leave.he wanted to, and she said yes
- She got him to leave.she talked him into it
- She made him leave.he had no choice
Allow means the same as let, but it keeps to:
. .
In the passive, make gets its to back. With let, use allow:
| Active | Passive |
|---|---|
. | . |
. | . |
Help: with or without to
Help takes both, with the same meaning:
..
Without to is very common, especially in speech. The other verbs on this page give you no choice: make and let take no to, and want always does.
Going further: Want, ask, tell: person + to and the rest of the guide, when you want them. This lesson does not need them.
Practice
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One question at a time, mixed across the exercises in this lesson. Miss one and it comes back round before the end.
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