"help to do" or "help do"

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jl2684: Junior | Next Rank: 30 Posts; Posts: 15; Joined: Tue Mar 23, 2010 4:28 pm; Thanked: 1 times

by jl2684 » Sun Apr 18, 2010 3:13 pm

In GMAT, is there a rule on "help"?

Is "help" followed by "to do" or "do"? Does GMAT have a preference?

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Source: Beat The GMAT — Sentence Correction | Sun Apr 18, 2010 3:13 pm

pradeepkaushal9518: Legendary Member; Posts: 1309; Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 11:41 pmFollowed by: 5 members; Thanked: 33 times

by pradeepkaushal9518 » Sun Apr 18, 2010 7:26 pm

help is used as an idiom

like

he helps rake the leaves
he helps to rake the leaves
he helps me rake the leaves
he help in taking the leaves.

so he helps me to do the job

or he helps me doing the job are both correct

help do will be incorrect IMO

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greentealeaf: Senior | Next Rank: 100 Posts; Posts: 30; Joined: Sat Apr 10, 2010 7:04 pmFollowed by: 1 member; Thanked: 3 times

by greentealeaf » Sun Apr 18, 2010 11:05 pm

jl2684 wrote:In GMAT, is there a rule on "help"?

Is "help" followed by "to do" or "do"? Does GMAT have a preference?

both work. i don't think there is any preference.

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pradeepkaushal9518: Legendary Member; Posts: 1309; Joined: Wed Mar 17, 2010 11:41 pmFollowed by: 5 members; Thanked: 33 times

by pradeepkaushal9518 » Mon Apr 19, 2010 12:46 am

any expert can help on help

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arpita@gurome: GMAT Instructor; Posts: 91; Joined: Fri Apr 02, 2010 11:05 pmFollowed by: 42 members; Location: Mumbai, India; Thanked: 33 times

by arpita@gurome » Mon Apr 19, 2010 1:14 am

Both "help do" and "help to do" are acceptable. I do not think GMAT has a preference for either "help do" or "help to do".

If you come across both of these structures in your answer choices, the error is not likely to be in the idiom with "help" but elsewhere. GMAT is just using it to confuse you.

You must have come across questions in the CR section with question stems such as "Which of the followin, if true, most helps to explain an increase/decrease in profits?"

Check out SC question number 59 from the Official Guide 12th edition.

I personally prefer to use "help do" than "help to do"

Hope that helps

Arpita Sen
Verbal and Admissions Expert
Gurome, Inc.
www.GuroMe.com
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1-800-566-4043
+91 99201 32411 (India)

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