Grammar
Make, let, and help: causative patterns
Your manager says you must stay late, a neighbor allows you to use her driveway, and a colleague works with you on a task. English can describe those three situations with make, let, and help.
Choose make, let, or help to show force, permission, or assistance, and use the verb pattern that follows each one.
Read and practice
Read the examples and try the written questions in this guide. Listening recordings are not available for this lesson yet.
Try the written questions
My manager let me leave early. /maɪ ˈmænɪdʒə let miː liːv ˈɜːli/
The short answer
Use make plus an object plus a base verb for force or a strong cause: The coach made us run. Use let plus an object plus a base verb for permission: The coach let us leave. Use help plus an object plus a base verb or to-infinitive for assistance: The coach helped us improve or helped us to improve.
The volunteer helped the visitors find the registration desk.
Why it works: Help shows assistance. Find is a base verb after visitors, and the sentence says that the volunteer made the search easier.
4 more examples
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The supervisor made Omar stay until the stock count was finished.
Made shows that the supervisor required Omar to remain at work. Stay is the base verb after Omar.
Not this:Omar
stayeduntil the stock count was finished. What changes: This sentence reports Omar's action but does not say whether anyone required it. -
My neighbor let me park in her driveway during the storm.
Let shows permission. Park is the base verb after me.
Not this:My neighbor
allowed me to parkin her driveway during the storm. What changes: Allow has a similar meaning, but its usual pattern uses a to-infinitive. -
The new schedule made the morning meeting shorter.
Make can also cause a change of state. Here shorter is an adjective that describes the result.
Not this:The morning meeting
was shorterunder the new schedule. What changes: This sentence gives the result without directly naming what caused the change. -
Can you help me to check these figures before we send the form?
Help can take a to-infinitive. Help me check has the same basic meaning in this situation.
Not this:Can you
check these figuresbefore we send the form? What changes: This request asks the listener to do the task, rather than to assist the speaker with it.
Read the full guide
Start by deciding what the first person does. If that person requires an action, use make. If that person gives permission, use let. If that person gives support, use help. Then put the person affected after the first verb and choose the form of the next verb that belongs to the pattern.
Choose the meaning first
Before choosing a pattern, ask what the first person does. A rule or pressure can make someone act. Permission can let someone act. Support can help someone act. The same final action may appear with all three verbs, but the relationship changes.
The instructor made us repeat the safety steps. The instructor let us leave early. The instructor helped us remember the safety steps.
Repeat is required in the first sentence. Leave is permitted in the second. Remember is supported in the third.
Which verb fits when a person gives permission?
Use let when the person allows the action.
Use make for force or a direct cause
Use make plus a person or thing and a base verb when the subject causes the action. Make often shows that the affected person has little choice. It can also show that a situation produces a result.
The missed bus made Priya walk home.
The missed bus is the cause, Priya is the affected person, and walk is the base verb.
The warm light made the room comfortable.
Comfortable is an adjective here. Make can be followed by an object and an adjective when it causes a result.
Which form fits: made her wait or made her to wait?
Use made her wait. The active make pattern takes a base verb without to.
Use let for permission
Use let plus a person and a base verb when someone permits an action. The subject decides not to prevent the action. Let does not usually mean that the subject performs the final action.
The receptionist let the delivery driver use the side entrance.
The receptionist gave permission. The delivery driver used the entrance.
Which form fits: let them join or let them to join?
Use let them join. Join is the base verb after them.
Use help for support
Use help when a person makes an action easier or works with another person. The person after help may do some of the work. This is why help sounds less controlling than make.
A classmate helped me carry the display boards.
The classmate gave assistance, while I was also involved in carrying the boards.
Does help usually show force or support?
Help usually shows support. The other person may still take part in the action.
Use either form after help
After help, both a base verb and a to-infinitive are possible. Help me carry the bags and help me to carry the bags have the same basic meaning. Choose one form and keep the sentence clear.
The guide helped us to understand the timetable.
The guide helped us understand the timetable is also correct. The meaning stays the same.
Can help be followed by to understand?
Yes. Help us to understand and help us understand are both standard patterns.
Notice how passive sentences change
The active patterns use a base verb after make and let. When the sentence becomes passive, English commonly uses to after made, and allowed often expresses the passive meaning of let. This change is useful when the person causing the action is unknown or less important.
Nadia was made to wait outside.
In the active form, someone made Nadia wait. In the passive form, the sentence focuses on Nadia's experience.
Visitors were allowed to take photographs.
Allowed to take gives the passive permission meaning that is often expressed with let in an active sentence.
Why does made take to in Nadia was made to wait?
The sentence is passive. Passive made is followed by a to-infinitive in this pattern.
Before you go
Remember this
Use make when a person or thing causes an action or result, let when someone gives permission, and help when someone gives support. In active sentences, use a base verb after make and let. After help, use either a base verb or a to-infinitive. Check the meaning before you choose the verb.
Practice with the written examples
You can practice with the written questions in the Learn tab. Each answer includes an explanation.
Try the written questionsListening test not available yet
This lesson does not have the recordings needed for a listening test. Use the written questions in the guide to check your understanding.
Try the written questionsQuestions about "Make, let, and help: causative patterns"
What is the difference between make and let?
Make says that a person or situation causes an action, often through a rule, pressure, or a direct result. Let says that a person gives permission for an action. Both use an object followed by a base verb in the active pattern.
The supervisor made Omar stay until the stock count was finished.
Why do make and let use a base verb?
In active sentences, make and let are followed by a person or thing and the base form of the next verb. Say make someone wait or let someone wait. Do not add to before wait in either of those active patterns.
Omar stayed until the stock count was finished.
Can I use to after help?
Yes. Help can be followed by either a base verb or a to-infinitive. Help me carry the bags and help me to carry the bags are both standard. The choice usually does not change the basic meaning of the sentence.
My neighbor let me park in her driveway during the storm.
Can make describe a result as well as an action?
Yes. Make can be followed by an object and an adjective when something causes a result. For example, a change can make a task easier or make a room quieter. The adjective describes the new state of the object.
My neighbor allowed me to park in her driveway during the storm.
Why does passive made use to?
The active pattern is make someone do something, but the passive form changes to be made to do something. This is a normal change in English grammar. For passive permission, be allowed to is often used to express the meaning of let.
The volunteer helped the visitors find the registration desk.