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Make, Let, and Help

Make, meaning ‘compel’ or ‘cause’, takes an object followed by a plain base form: The guard made her sit down. In the passive, to returns: She was made to sit down. Learn not to add to in the active, not to change the second verb for tense, and not to omit to in the passive.

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Make + object + base verb form

What make means in this construction

Here, make means ‘compel’ or ‘cause’: someone or something produces an action or reaction. The subject can be a person, event or thing. The object need not be a person either: The wind made the door slam means that the wind caused the door to slam.

The pattern is a subject, make in the required form, an object — the person or thing affected — and a base verb form. Object pronouns are me, you, him, her, it, us and them.

Remember that in this English construction, make takes neither to nor -ing after its object, even though other expressions with a similar meaning may use a to-infinitive.

How to build it

subject + make (required tense) + object + base form

subject / S
—
The grammatical subject: who or what the clause is about; the verb agrees with it. In The book was written, the book is the subject, although someone else does the action.
V1 / base form
—
The base verb without to: work, go, be.
object / O
—
Who or what an action affects: in I read a book, a book is the object.

The strict librarian made the children whisper.

The strict librarian made the children whisper.

The object is the children, followed by base-form whisper without to.

Dark clouds made us hurry home.

Dark clouds made us hurry home.

The subject can be a circumstance rather than a person.

The recipe makes my mother smile.

The recipe makes my mother smile.

Make takes the form makes, while smile remains in the base form.

No to, no -ing, no added endings

In an active sentence, a plain base form follows the object. Do not add to, use -ing or use a past-tense form.

The base form changes for neither person nor tense. Even with a third-person singular subject, -s goes on make, not on the following verb.

A pronoun in the object position needs an object form. Subject forms such as he, she and they are incorrect after make in this pattern.

The smell of smoke made them run outside.

The smell of smoke made them run outside.

Use object-form them, not they, followed by run, not to run.

Heavy traffic makes my father arrive late.

Heavy traffic makes my father arrive late.

Only makes takes -s; arrive remains in the base form.

Her letter made me think about my choices.

Her letter made me think about my choices.

Use base-form think, without to or -ing.

Make changes, not the second verb

Tense, negation and questions are handled by make and the auxiliary. After Did, didn’t, will, can’t and similar forms, make is in the base form, while the verb after the object remains unchanged.

What made you…? is useful for asking about a cause: it asks what led to a decision or reaction. The construction also appears in the present tense: What makes you say that?

Negation expresses the absence of compulsion or a cause: someone did not force the action, or an event did not cause the reaction.

How to build it

Did + subject + make + object + base form?

subject / S
—
The grammatical subject: who or what the clause is about; the verb agrees with it. In The book was written, the book is the subject, although someone else does the action.
V1 / base form
—
The base verb without to: work, go, be.
object / O
—
Who or what an action affects: in I read a book, a book is the object.

Our coach doesn't make us train in the heat.

Our coach doesn't make us train in the heat.

With doesn’t make, neither make nor train takes -s.

Will the new rules make people change their habits?

Will the new rules make people change their habits?

After will, make is in the base form; change is also a base form.

What made the audience applaud so loudly?

What made the audience applaud so loudly?

What made asks about the cause, followed by the object and a base form.

The passive: to returns

When the person who was compelled becomes the subject, use the passive pattern be made + to + verb. To belongs to this particular construction: They made her wait → She was made to wait.

The passive is useful when the person compelled matters, while the agent is unknown or unimportant. The agent can be added with by if necessary.

The form of be expresses tense: is made, was made, will be made. The verb after to stays in the base form.

How to build it

person compelled + be made + to + base form

V1 / base form
—
The base verb without to: work, go, be.

The pupils were made to line up outside.

The pupils were made to line up outside.

All the pupils were compelled; the agent is not named.

Are people made to wear helmets here?

Are people made to wear helmets here?

In the question, be moves to the beginning, while to stays before the verb.

Nobody will be made to speak in front of the class.

Nobody will be made to speak in front of the class.

Future tense: will be made to + base form.

Compulsion or cause

Make has two related meanings. When a person in authority or a rule is involved, it can express compulsion, leaving little choice. When an event is involved, it can express the cause of a reaction: a funny video does not issue an order, but causes laughter.

Both meanings have the same grammatical form. Identify them from the whole context, not merely from whether the subject is a person: My sister makes me laugh does not necessarily imply compulsion.

Make also combines with an adjective: The delay made everyone angry. This is a different construction without a base verb form, so it is not practised separately here. However, made someone feel angry is our pattern, with feel as the base form.

The head of the school made the pupils clean the yard.

The head of the school made the pupils clean the yard.

The subject is a person in authority: this expresses compulsion.

The strong coffee made me stay awake all night.

The strong coffee made me stay awake all night.

The coffee causes wakefulness; this is the cause of a reaction, not an order.

Her silence made me feel uneasy.

Her silence made me feel uneasy.

Make + object + feel + adjective.

Boundaries: let, help, force and other verbs

Make is not the only verb with a ‘verb + object + verb’ pattern. Let expresses permission and also takes no to; help allows an infinitive with or without to. These constructions have their own lessons; here, the important point is not to confuse their meanings.

Force, ask, tell, want, allow and similar verbs take to after the object: The officer forced him to open the bag. Thus force me to work is correct, but make me to work is not.

Other uses of make, such as make a decision and make sure, fall outside this rule.

My aunt lets me borrow her bike.

My aunt lets me borrow her bike.

Let expresses permission, not compulsion.

He helped me carry the boxes.

He helped me carry the boxes.

Help expresses assistance.

The officer forced him to open the bag.

The officer forced him to open the bag.

Force requires to after the object.

Why this pattern is easy to mix up

Many English verbs, including force, ask and want, do require to before an infinitive. Following that analogy can lead to an unnecessary to after make, or sometimes an -ing form. Learn the make pattern in its own right rather than transferring the form used by a similar verb or in another language.

The practical rule is to find make and its object in an active sentence, then put a plain base verb immediately after the object. In the passive, restore to. First check whether the construction is active or passive, and only then choose the form.

Another trap is using a subject pronoun after make. Check for me, him and them rather than I, he and they.

My sister's story made me laugh out loud.

My sister's story made me laugh out loud.

Base-form laugh, without to.

My grandparents were made to leave their village.

My grandparents were made to leave their village.

In the passive, to returns.

Common mistakes

Incorrect:My boss made me to stay late.

Correct:My boss made me stay late.

In an active sentence, to is not needed after make and its object.

Incorrect:The music made them dancing.

Correct:The music made them dance.

The object is followed by a base form, not an -ing form.

Incorrect:The visitors were made leave the building.

Correct:The visitors were made to leave the building.

In the passive, to is required before the verb.

Incorrect:The noise made he leave.

Correct:The noise made him leave.

Make requires object-form him, not subject-form he.

Incorrect:The smell made her felt sick.

Correct:The smell made her feel sick.

Only made expresses past tense; the verb after the object stays in the base form.

Incorrect:Did the noise made you wake up?

Correct:Did the noise make you wake up?

After Did, make must be in the base form.

Sources

Let + object + base form: allowing an action

1. Let means allow

Let says that someone could prohibit an action but permits it. Permission can come from a person, such as a trainer, parent or manager, an institution, or circumstances that make something possible. The speaker describes what is permitted through that permission or opportunity.

A sentence with let answers “Was it permitted?” rather than “Who forced it?” or “Who helped?” We only note the contrast with make and help here; their detailed patterns belong to neighbouring rules.

How to build it

subject + let + object + base form

subject / S
—
The grammatical subject: who or what the clause is about; the verb agrees with it. In The book was written, the book is the subject, although someone else does the action.
V1 / base form
—
The base verb without to: work, go, be.
object / O
—
Who or what an action affects: in I read a book, a book is the object.

The coach lets the players choose their own shirt numbers.

The coach lets the players choose their own shirt numbers.

The coach has the authority to decide but leaves the choice to the players.

Our landlord let us paint the hallway.

Our landlord let us paint the hallway.

Permission in the past: us is the object, and paint is the base form.

My grandmother never lets anyone touch her garden tools.

My grandmother never lets anyone touch her garden tools.

Never lets expresses a standing prohibition through a negative word.

2. After the object, use the base form without to

An object comes between let and the action verb. It can be a noun or an object-form pronoun: me, you, him, her, us, them. I, he, she, we and they are incorrect in this position because let needs an object.

The verb after the object is the base form: no to, -ing, -s or past form. A common error is transferring to from allow or want to let.

How to build it

let + me/you/him/her/us/them + base verb

verb / V
—
A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
V1 / base form
—
The base verb without to: work, go, be.

Mum let my sister pick a book for the trip.

Mum let my sister pick a book for the trip.

The object is the noun phrase my sister, followed by pick without to.

They let us wait inside because of the rain.

They let us wait inside because of the rain.

Object pronoun us, then base-form wait.

Don't let them see the surprise.

Don't let them see the surprise.

A negative command: them is again followed by base-form see.

3. Forms of let and auxiliary support

Let has three identical forms: base let, Past Simple let, and past participle let. In the Present Simple, third-person singular takes -s: lets. Let, or an auxiliary, carries tense; the verb after the object remains in the base form.

Build negatives and questions with do, does, did, or with will for modal/future meanings. The auxiliary carries tense and agreement, so let and the following action verb remain in their base forms: Did the officer let you pass? After prepositional for, use -ing: thanks for letting me know.

How to build it

do/does/did/will (not) + let + object + base form

V1 / base form
—
The base verb without to: work, go, be.
object / O
—
Who or what an action affects: in I read a book, a book is the object.

My sister never lets me read her messages.

My sister never lets me read her messages.

Lets is third-person singular; read has no to.

The hotel won't let guests bring their own food.

The hotel won't let guests bring their own food.

Won’t let: the modal is followed by base-form let.

Did the manager let you change the date?

Did the manager let you change the date?

Did carries past tense, so let and change have no added endings.

Thanks for letting me know.

Thanks for letting me know.

Letting me know uses -ing after for, but me is still followed by base-form know.

4. The passive: be allowed to

For an ordinary passive report of permission, use be allowed to, not was let to: I was allowed to leave. Do not extend this to every use of let: the established expression He was let go, meaning released or dismissed, is correct.

Be allowed to requires to before the base form. Compare a present rule: They let us park here → We are allowed to park here. Add by if the person granting permission matters; often it is unnecessary.

How to build it

subject + be (not) allowed to + base verb

subject / S
—
The grammatical subject: who or what the clause is about; the verb agrees with it. In The book was written, the book is the subject, although someone else does the action.
verb / V
—
A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
V1 / base form
—
The base verb without to: work, go, be.

Pupils are allowed to use the library after school.

Pupils are allowed to use the library after school.

A rule without a named person granting permission.

Children weren't allowed to run in the corridor.

Children weren't allowed to run in the corridor.

A past negative passive, with to before the base form.

Are we allowed to sit here?

Are we allowed to sit here?

In the question, be moves before the subject.

5. Let, allow and permit

Let, allow and permit are close in meaning but have different patterns. After allow and permit, to connects the object to the base form: allow someone to do. After let, there is no to.

Let is common in conversation, allow is neutral, and permit often sounds official. For standard passive permission, choose allowed or permitted with to. Fixed uses of let, such as was let go, follow a different pattern.

How to build it

allow/permit + object + to + base verb | let + object + base verb

verb / V
—
A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
V1 / base form
—
The base verb without to: work, go, be.
object / O
—
Who or what an action affects: in I read a book, a book is the object.

The rules allow guests to use the pool until ten.

The rules allow guests to use the pool until ten.

Allow + object + to + base form.

Our contract permits employees to work remotely.

Our contract permits employees to work remotely.

Permit is the formal alternative with to.

The rules let guests use the pool until ten.

The rules let guests use the pool until ten.

The same meaning with let: no to, and a more conversational tone.

6. Let alongside make, help and fixed expressions

Make expresses compulsion; help expresses assistance: She made me wait gives no choice, She let me wait grants permission, and She helped me find the room provides assistance. Make and help have separate lessons; here the focus is recognising the meaning difference.

Let me know, let me see and let me try are established expressions with the same pattern: let + me + base form. Other uses are separate: Let’s go is a suggestion; let go of means release; let down means disappoint; let a flat means rent it out.

She made me wait outside, but her brother let me come in.

She made me wait outside, but her brother let me come in.

Make expresses compulsion; let expresses permission.

Please let me know if the time changes.

Please let me know if the time changes.

An established expression: let + me + know.

Let's meet at six.

Let's meet at six.

Let’s, from let us, makes a suggestion, which is a different function.

7. Longer sentences and an omitted action verb

In a longer sentence, let can follow other words: I asked the office to let me work from another desk; She hopes her parents will let her take the car. After to, will, would, can’t or won’t, let stays in the base form, as does the action verb after the object.

If the action has already been named, it can be omitted: I wanted to stay longer, but the guard wouldn’t let me. For an ordinary passive report, say I wasn’t allowed to stay longer.

I asked the office to let me work from another desk.

I asked the office to let me work from another desk.

To belongs to asked … to; after let me, use work.

She hopes her parents will let her take the car.

She hopes her parents will let her take the car.

Will let: modal verb + base form.

I wanted to stay longer, but the guard wouldn't let me.

I wanted to stay longer, but the guard wouldn't let me.

Stay is omitted because the action has already been mentioned.

Common mistakes

Incorrect:The manager let us to finish early.

Correct:The manager let us finish early.

Do not use to after let + object. Avoid transferring the pattern from allow or want.

Incorrect:My landlord lets me keeping a cat.

Correct:My landlord lets me keep a cat.

The object must be followed by the base form, not -ing.

Incorrect:Their parents don't let they stay up late.

Correct:Their parents don't let them stay up late.

Let takes an object, so use them, not they.

Incorrect:Did your dad let you drove his car?

Correct:Did your dad let you drive his car?

Did already carries past tense. After let + you, use base-form drive.

Incorrect:She was let to enter the building.

Correct:She was allowed to enter the building.

This standard report of permission requires was allowed to enter. Was let to enter is not the correct passive pattern.

Incorrect:We were allowed use the pool.

Correct:We were allowed to use the pool.

Unlike let, passive allowed requires to.

Sources

Help + object + (to) + verb

The basic idea: help supports rather than forces an action

Help + object + verb expresses assistance or facilitation: helped me lift. The helper may also participate in the action. The object can be a person, group or thing: Rain helps plants grow.

Among the verb + object + verb patterns compared here, help is distinctive because to is optional. Both versions are correct and natural. Neither is a universal primary form that you must prefer; choose whichever fits comfortably.

This pattern takes a base verb with or without to, not an -ing form: helped me find / helped me to find. Other expressions with help have different structures, including couldn’t help smiling, discussed below.

Our neighbour helped me lift the old wardrobe.

Our neighbour helped me lift the old wardrobe.

Lift is a bare infinitive. Me identifies the person doing the lifting, with the neighbour’s assistance.

Our neighbour helped me to lift the old wardrobe.

Our neighbour helped me to lift the old wardrobe.

The same meaning with to. There is no change in the message.

The video helped us understand the new rules.

The video helped us understand the new rules.

The subject can be a thing rather than a person.

Form: help + object + verb

Help is followed by an object pronoun, me, you, him, her, it, us or them, or a noun phrase such as the students or my brother. The verb after the object is in the base form, without -ing, past-tense -ed or third-person -s. Tense and agreement endings belong to help, not the second verb.

You may include or omit to before the base verb. Its position is fixed: before the verb, never before the object. Helped to me do is not the pattern.

In simple questions and negatives, do / does / did requires base-form help: Did she help? Other forms can use helping or helped: is helping, has helped. The verb after the object still remains in the base form, with or without to.

How to build it

help + object + base verb OR help + object + to + base verb

verb / V
—
A word for an action or state, such as work or be. The pattern determines its form.
V1 / base form
—
The base verb without to: work, go, be.
object / O
—
Who or what an action affects: in I read a book, a book is the object.

Did the course help you speak more confidently?

Did the course help you speak more confidently?

Did requires base-form help, and speak also has no inflectional ending.

The notes don't help me remember anything.

The notes don't help me remember anything.

The negative uses don’t. Remember stays in the base form.

She is helping her son learn the guitar.

She is helping her son learn the guitar.

Even when help itself has -ing, the second verb does not take that ending.

Common incorrect forms

Four errors occur especially often: an -ing form after the object, helped me finding; an inflected second verb, helped me to finds or helped me found the keys; a subject pronoun instead of an object pronoun, help I carry; and to before the object, helped to me carry. The second verb does not change for person or tense.

Keep the construction’s two roles separate. The first verb, help, can change for tense and agreement. The second stays in the base form because it names the action associated with the object. This two-part view helps prevent misplaced endings and confusion about the intervening object.

Cooking together helped the whole team relax.

Cooking together helped the whole team relax.

The whole team is the object; relax is the base form.

Could you help us choose a present for Grandma?

Could you help us choose a present for Grandma?

Us is an object pronoun. Choose has no ending.

Her advice helped him to change his mind.

Her advice helped him to change his mind.

Put to before the verb, not before him.

Help with a noun: help me with…

Sometimes we name the task with a noun rather than a verb: homework, cooking or directions. Use with after the object: help me with my homework. With does not take a bare verb here. Compare help + object + verb with help + object + with + noun phrase.

Both patterns can express similar meanings: helped me with the cooking or helped me cook. Do not blend them into helped me with cook. Help yourself (to something) has an object referring back to the subject and is a separate fixed expression.

My cousin helped me with my CV.

My cousin helped me with my CV.

The task is named by the noun phrase my CV, so with follows me.

My cousin helped me update my CV.

My cousin helped me update my CV.

This specifies the help as updating the CV. With my CV alone does not identify that particular action.

Special cases: passives, two instances of to and couldn’t help

In a passive after was / were helped, the standard pattern uses to + verb: I was helped to understand the rules. The with-or-without-to choice applies to the active pattern; use to in the standard passive pattern practised here.

When help itself follows to, the second to is often omitted to avoid repetition: I’m here to help you understand. Two instances of to are also possible, though the wording can feel heavier. Both versions are correct.

Couldn’t help and can’t help meaning could not or cannot stop oneself are separate constructions. They are not help + object patterns and take -ing: I couldn’t help smiling. The -ing form is correct because the construction and meaning are different.

The new volunteers were helped to find their way around the museum.

The new volunteers were helped to find their way around the museum.

The passive were helped is followed by to + verb.

I'm calling to help you fix the booking.

I'm calling to help you fix the booking.

The second to is omitted after to help, but including it is also possible.

She couldn't help crying at the end of the film.

She couldn't help crying at the end of the film.

The idiom couldn’t help + -ing has no separate object between help and crying.

Contrast with make and let: who controls the action?

Make can express compulsion or a cause of a reaction, let gives permission, and help expresses assistance or facilitation. Someone helping may perform the action together with the other person: help me carry the box.

The forms also differ. In these active patterns, make and let take a bare verb, while help allows either a bare verb or to + verb. The first verb therefore determines whether to is possible. Separate rules cover make and let in detail; the key contrast here is help’s flexibility.

The heavy rain made everyone leave early.

The heavy rain made everyone leave early.

Make expresses compulsion or causation and takes a bare verb in this active pattern.

My parents let me stay up late on Fridays.

My parents let me stay up late on Fridays.

Let expresses permission and takes a bare verb.

A good map helps visitors to enjoy the park.

A good map helps visitors to enjoy the park.

Help expresses assistance. Both infinitive forms are possible.

Using the pattern: offers, requests and thanks

Four common situations use this construction. Offer help: Can I help you carry that? Ask for help: Could you help me find the right form? Express thanks: Thanks for helping me sort it out. Describe a benefit: Walking to work helps me clear my head.

The subject can be a person, thing, activity or phenomenon, and the object can identify whoever or whatever benefits. The pattern is short and natural in conversation. Keep the basic order: object, then a base verb, with optional to in the active.

Can I help you carry that?

Can I help you carry that?

An offer. Base-form carry follows you.

Thanks for helping me sort it out.

Thanks for helping me sort it out.

An expression of thanks. Sort follows me without -ing.

Walking to work helps me clear my head.

Walking to work helps me clear my head.

An activity is the subject. Helps takes -s, while clear does not.

Common mistakes

Incorrect:My brother helped me fixing the bike.

Correct:My brother helped me fix the bike.

The target help + object pattern takes fix or to fix, not fixing.

Incorrect:She helped him to finds the files.

Correct:She helped him to find the files.

The second verb does not inflect for person. Any required tense or agreement marking belongs to help.

Incorrect:Can you help I carry this box?

Correct:Can you help me carry this box?

Use object-form me after help, not subject-form I.

Incorrect:My parents helped to me choose a school.

Correct:My parents helped me choose a school.

To belongs before the following verb, not before the object.

Incorrect:My colleague helped me with write the email.

Correct:My colleague helped me write the email.

With does not take base-form write here. Either use a noun or -ing phrase after with, or use help me write without with.

Incorrect:We were helped find our seats by a guide.

Correct:We were helped to find our seats by a guide.

In the standard passive pattern after was / were helped, include to before the verb.

Sources
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