Make Someone Do vs. Make Someone To Do
In the active causative pattern meaning force or cause, make takes an object plus the bare infinitive. The to-infinitive appears in the corresponding passive: someone is made to do something.
Use “make someone do something,” not “make someone to do something,” in the active causative pattern; use “be made to do something” in the passive.
Key details
Choose the right form
| Meaning / situation | Form / construction | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| active causative | make + person + bare infinitive | Use “make someone do.” |
| passive causative | be made + to-infinitive | Use “to” in the passive. |
Quick tests
Meaning / construction test
Is the causative construction active?
If yes: Use “make someone do,” without “to.”
If no: If it is passive, use “be made to do.”
Examples
The coach made us run another lap.
Active “make” takes the bare infinitive.
We were made to run another lap.
The passive uses the to-infinitive.
Do not make her wait outside.
The active causative keeps the bare infinitive.
Further guidance
Boundary
Do not generalize the active bare-infinitive pattern to the passive, and do not confuse causative make with unrelated make + noun/adjective constructions.
Construction
Cambridge states that causative make + object is followed by the infinitive without “to” in active sentences.
Decision
Use object + bare infinitive after active make; restore “to” when the construction is passive.
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.
- Word patterns: make sb do sth — English Grammar Today (opens in a new tab)Cambridge Dictionary · Make + object + bare infinitive in the active causative pattern, with to restored in the passive