Today I came across this NY Times’ article, where it’s written: Talking to people at newspapers makes it seem as if the future of comments is all social log-ins and filtering algorithms. But I didn’t quite understand why it says “it seem” instead of “it seems”. Can anybody explain it to me? Thanks a bunch. … Read more
With regard to bullet points stating objectives using verbs, is it better to repeat “to” at the beginning of each of them, or to introduce bare infinitives with a single shared “to”? In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie, the objectives of the Ring are to: Rule them all; Find them; Bring them … Read more
[i] I saw her clean the room. [ii] He helped me do the work. [iii] She made me clean the room. What makes you think so? Let me know what he said. Bare infinitival has the meaning of ‘wholeness’ in [i] – I saw the whole event … Read more
I’m trying to link the following items into a single sentence: we look forward to help you find X So for example, here are some ways I was thinking of doing that: We look forward to help you find X. We’re looking forward to help you find X. We’re looking forward to helping you find … Read more
I thought tend (used to imply “regularly or frequently behaving in a particular way or having a certain characteristic – Oxford’s def; 1.1) always has to be used with the to-infinitive form of verbs. Today, however, I encountered this example: Most meta-analyses show that, with some exceptions, well-established psychotherapies tend be approximately equivalent in efficacy … Read more
Why do ‘get’ and ‘have’ work similarly in I got/had my car repaired. but differently – that is are not complemented in the same way although they still mean the same – in I got someone to repair my car. and I had someone repair my car. Answer The verbs ‘get’ and ‘have’ are not … Read more
[a] It makes the tree grow. [b] I never heard him speak. I’m wondering why causative and sense verbs (make, hear) license bare infinitives for their complement, instead of taking to infinitives? What semantic difference is there between bare and to infinitives? I glimpse a clue that this adjective complement is “more immediately or directly … Read more
I can’t do anything rather than waiting. I can’t do anything rather than wait. Which one is correct and why? Answer Idiomatically (and logically, it seems to me) neither of OP’s suggestions are valid. It should be… I can’t do anything other than wait (or but/except wait) Valid constructions using rather include, for example,… I … Read more
Please read the following sentence: Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer is planning his retirement in the next nine months from the software giant he helped build. Would you consider “helped” a Non-Modal verb? If yes, then would you please tell me why? Answer Just because one verb can follow another in the bare infinitive form does … Read more
“Actually, we didn’t get lost,” the tall one says. “We ran away.” “Not running away so much as just stumbling onto this spot and deciding to stay put,” the brawny one adds. “That’s different from getting lost.” “Not just anybody can find this place,” the tall soldier says. “But we did, and … Read more
