Help to or Help +ing

[Paul]

Is it "Help me to find something" or "Help me finding something?"

P.

[Lars Eighner]

In our last episode, <iRbem.45679$1s6....@twister2.libero.it>, the lovely
and talented Paul broadcast on alt.usage.english:

> Is it "Help me to find something" or "Help me finding something?"

When help is a verb (as it is here) the infinitive form is right,
although often it is the bare infinitive (omit to).

"Help me find the address."

When help is a noun, the participle form may be acceptable.

"I need your help finding the address."
"I need your help to find the address."

Here the bare infinitive is not acceptable, but is when help becomes a
verb again:

"I need you to help find the address."

--
Lars Eighner <http://larseighner.com/> September 5818, 1993
196 days since Rick Warren prayed over Bush's third term.
Obama: No hope, no change, more of the same. Yes, he can, but no, he won't.

[Richard Chambers]

"Paul" <eter...@go.now> wrote in message
news:iRbem.45679$1s6....@twister2.libero.it...

> Is it "Help me to find something" or "Help me finding something?"

In my opinion, both are satisfactory but they are used in different
situations:-

a. If the search has not yet begun, but I want my wife to help me, I would
say "Would you help me to look for the thimble, please?"
b. If I have already been looking for the thimble for some time, and I want
my wife to join in and help, I would say "Could you help me looking for the
thimble, please?".

Richard Chambers Leeds UK.

[Ian Jackson]

In message <slrnh7ijcr...@debranded.larseighner.com>, Lars
Eighner <use...@larseighner.com> writes

>In our last episode, <iRbem.45679$1s6....@twister2.libero.it>, the lovely
>and talented Paul broadcast on alt.usage.english:
>
>> Is it "Help me to find something" or "Help me finding something?"
>
>When help is a verb (as it is here) the infinitive form is right,
>although often it is the bare infinitive (omit to).
>
>"Help me find the address."
>

Possibly more AmE than BrE, but certainly used in both.

>When help is a noun, the participle form may be acceptable.
>
>"I need your help finding the address."

Could it also be a gerund? You could also have:
"I need your help in (the) finding (of) the address."

But could it be a present participle?
"I need your help when I am finding the address."

>"I need your help to find the address."
>
>Here the bare infinitive is not acceptable, but is when help becomes a
>verb again:
>

I would say that AmE might not always have the "to".

>"I need you to help find the address."
>
--

Ian

[Peter Duncanson (BrE)]

On Wed, 5 Aug 2009 13:27:20 +0100, Ian Jackson
<ianREMOVET...@g3ohx.demon.co.uk> wrote:

>In message <slrnh7ijcr...@debranded.larseighner.com>, Lars
>Eighner <use...@larseighner.com> writes
>>In our last episode, <iRbem.45679$1s6....@twister2.libero.it>, the lovely
>>and talented Paul broadcast on alt.usage.english:
>>
>>> Is it "Help me to find something" or "Help me finding something?"
>>
>>When help is a verb (as it is here) the infinitive form is right,
>>although often it is the bare infinitive (omit to).
>>
>>"Help me find the address."
>>
>Possibly more AmE than BrE, but certainly used in both.
>
>>When help is a noun, the participle form may be acceptable.
>>
>>"I need your help finding the address."
>
>Could it also be a gerund? You could also have:
>"I need your help in (the) finding (of) the address."
>

Or:
"I need your help with finding the address."

>But could it be a present participle?
>"I need your help when I am finding the address."
>
>>"I need your help to find the address."
>>
>>Here the bare infinitive is not acceptable, but is when help becomes a
>>verb again:
>>
>I would say that AmE might not always have the "to".
>
>>"I need you to help find the address."
>>

--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)

[Lars Eighner]

In our last episode, <5BzFxkIo...@g3ohx.demon.co.uk>, the lovely and
talented Ian Jackson broadcast on alt.usage.english:

> In message <slrnh7ijcr...@debranded.larseighner.com>, Lars
> Eighner <use...@larseighner.com> writes
>>In our last episode, <iRbem.45679$1s6....@twister2.libero.it>, the lovely
>>and talented Paul broadcast on alt.usage.english:
>>
>>> Is it "Help me to find something" or "Help me finding something?"
>>
>>When help is a verb (as it is here) the infinitive form is right,
>>although often it is the bare infinitive (omit to).
>>
>>"Help me find the address."
>>
> Possibly more AmE than BrE, but certainly used in both.

>>When help is a noun, the participle form may be acceptable.
>>
>>"I need your help finding the address."

> Could it also be a gerund?

Sorry, I have given up on trying to fit English into Latin grammar.

> You could also have:
> "I need your help in (the) finding (of) the address."

> But could it be a present participle?
> "I need your help when I am finding the address."

>>"I need your help to find the address."
>>
>>Here the bare infinitive is not acceptable, but is when help becomes a
>>verb again:
>>
> I would say that AmE might not always have the "to".

>>"I need you to help find the address."
>>
--

[Robert Bannister]

I can see how your example could work in speech. In writing, it looks
very odd without "in" or "with", and the original example is slightly worse.

--

Rob Bannister

[Skitt]

Robert Bannister wrote:
> Richard Chambers wrote:
>> "Paul" wrote

>>> Is it "Help me to find something" or "Help me finding something?"
>>
>> In my opinion, both are satisfactory but they are used in different
>> situations:-
>>
>> a. If the search has not yet begun, but I want my wife to help me,
>> I would say "Would you help me to look for the thimble, please?"
>> b. If I have already been looking for the thimble for some time,
>> and I want my wife to join in and help, I would say "Could you help
>> me looking for the thimble, please?".
>
> I can see how your example could work in speech. In writing, it looks
> very odd without "in" or "with", and the original example is slightly
> worse.

Agreed.
--
Skitt (AmE)