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Thread: Eat or eats?

  1. #1
    Tepal is offline Newbie
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    Exclamation Eat or eats?

    Are these correct? If not please explain.

    -----------
    She lets the rabbit eats the apple.

    She lets the rabbit eats apples.

    The rabbit eats the apple.

    -----------
    Thanks.

  2. #2
    English Freak's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eat or eats?

    Quote Originally Posted by Tepal View Post
    Are these correct? If not please explain.

    -----------
    She lets the rabbit eats the apple. No, we use the simple form of the verb after "let".

    She lets the rabbit eats apples. No, we use the simple form of the verb after "let". Say: "She lets the rabbit eat apples."

    The rabbit eats the apple. It's a general sentence, a fact. Better to say "Rabbits eat apples." Or if you're talking about a specific rabbit, say: "The rabbit eats apples / an appe every day."

    -----------
    Thanks.
    EF

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    Default Re: Eat or eats?

    Quote Originally Posted by Tepal View Post


    She lets the rabbit eats the apple.

    She lets the rabbit eats apples.

    The rabbit eats the apple.

    The rabbit eats apples.
    This is fine. The verb "to eat" is used in the third person singular form here.

    In the other two sentences, it is not important how many apples are consumed. What is important is the verb pattern structure of the verb "to let."

    to let + object + bare infinitive (the infinitive without to)

    She lets + the rabbit + eat (apples or the apple.)

    I hope this helps.

    Stephen
    http://www.ieltsonly.co.uk

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    Tepal is offline Newbie
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    Threadstarter / Original Poster

    Default Re: Eat or eats?

    The simple form is a verb without the 's' at the end? Example: 'eat', not 'eats'?

    Thanks.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: Eat or eats?

    Quote Originally Posted by Tepal View Post
    The simple form is a verb without the 's' at the end? Example: 'eat', not 'eats'?

    Thanks.
    What English Freak referred to as the 'simple form' is more generally known as the 'bare infinitive'. The bare infinitive follows modals and a very small number of other verbs. The 'to-infinitive follows many other verbs:

    I can/might/will/would/etc do this.
    I want/hope/am trying/etc to do this.
    Please let me/help me/watch me do this.
    Please allow me/permit me/tell me to do this.
    Context is always important; labelling is rarely important.


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    Default Re: Eat or eats?

    Quote Originally Posted by Tepal View Post
    The simple form is a verb without the 's' at the end? Example: 'eat', not 'eats'?

    Thanks.
    Yes, that's right. Without "s", "ing", "ed", etc.
    Tepal likes this.

  7. #7
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    Default Re: Eat or eats?

    Quote Originally Posted by English Freak View Post
    Yes, that's right. Without "s", "ing", "ed", etc.
    The form of the verb normally found in the dictionary, i.e. without any suffixes or changes, is generally known as the 'base form', not the 'simple form'. This form of the verb is identical with that of the bare infinitive.
    bhaisahab, Tepal and English Freak like this.
    Context is always important; labelling is rarely important.


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    Default Re: Eat or eats?

    Yes, right, I agree. Just thought this term might be easier to understand.

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    Tepal is offline Newbie
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    Threadstarter / Original Poster

    Smile Re: Eat or eats?

    Are any of these wrong..? Here is what I learned today:

    These are colors that identify the words below.
    Verb
    Object
    Bare infinitive (the infinitive without 'to' and without "s", "ing", "ed", and etc. at the end of the verb, ex: 'eat'; also called base form or simple form)
    Infinitive (like bare infin but with 'to', ex: 'to eat')

    She lets the rabbit eat apples.

    Thanks again... :]
    Last edited by Tepal; 08-Dec-2011 at 14:09.

  10. #10
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    Default Re: Eat or eats?

    Quote Originally Posted by Tepal View Post
    Are any of these wrong..? Here is what I learned today:

    These are colors that identify the words below.
    Verb
    Object
    Bare infinitive (the infinitive without 'to' and without "s", "ing", "ed", and etc. at the end of the verb; also called base form)

    She lets the rabbit eat apples.

    Thanks again... :]
    The parts in yellow are unreadable.

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