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English UsageComparison guide

Help Do vs. Help To Do

Cambridge documents both forms: “help someone do” and “help someone to do,” as well as help followed by an infinitive without an object. The presence of “to” is optional in this construction rather than a change of core meaning.

ReviewedEvidence1 sourceSectionEnglish Usage
Quick answer

Both “help do” and “help to do” are standard. After “help,” the following infinitive may appear with or without “to,” including after an object.

Key details

Confusion Familygrammar-and-usage distinction
Rule Familyverb complement pattern
Termshelp do, help to do

Choose the right form

Decision table for Help Do vs. Help To Do
Meaning / situationForm / constructionDecision
help followed directly by an infinitivehelp + bare infinitiveStandard.
help followed by a to-infinitivehelp + to-infinitiveAlso standard; “to” is optional in this construction.

Quick tests

Meaning / construction test

Is “help” followed by an infinitive expressing the assisted action?

If yes: Either “help do” or “help to do” can be standard.

If no: Analyze another construction separately if the complement is not an infinitive.

Caveat: Preference for including “to” can vary by style and context, but the reviewed evidence supports both forms.

Examples

Example

This guide will help explain the process.

The bare infinitive is standard after “help.”

Example

This guide will help to explain the process.

The to-infinitive is also standard.

Example

Regular backups help prevent data loss.

The bare infinitive is natural and grammatical.

Further guidance

Ing Boundary

For the ordinary “make easier” construction, do not replace these infinitive patterns with direct help + -ing merely because another verb follows.

With To

Use help + to-infinitive, including help someone to do something; this is also standard.

Without To

Use help + infinitive without to, including help someone do something; this is a standard construction.

Sources and evidence

Sources are shown with the role they play in this guide. Historical or style-sensitive claims are kept within the evidence boundary described above.

  1. Help somebody (to) do — Cambridge Grammar (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary / English Grammar Today · Help followed by an infinitive with or without to

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“Agree to do” expresses consent to take an action. An -ing form normally follows a preposition in patterns such as “agree with doing,” which expresses approval rather than the direct promise-to-act construction.

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Aim Doing vs. Aim To Do

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Allow Doing vs. Allow Someone To Do

“Allow” can take an activity as its object, as in “allow smoking,” or a person/thing followed by a to-infinitive, as in “allow visitors to enter.” The patterns answer different structural questions: what is allowed versus who is allowed to do what.

Explore the topic

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