two consecutive verbs

[izabela]

Hi,

Can someone please tell me how we call the sentence structure with two consecutive verbs without an infinitive?

Ex. Culural factors help explain why..........

It looks just like a construction with modal verbs, but 'help' is not a modal verb....what is it?

Thanks a lot!

[Mariner]

Actually, it is a form of infinitive. It's called bare infinitive, because "to" is omitted.

Example:
He made me do it

Notice though the passive:
He was made to do it

[Humble]

Hi,
Izabela is not asking abt a part of speech , Mariner. I guess it a compound veral predicate.

[izabela]

Thanks guys for your help, but I still can't find any information about this structure. 'Bare infinitive' simply means that a verb is without 'to'. "A coumpound verbal predicate" is simply a sentence with one subject and more than two verbs in it, referring to that subject, ex. She ate and drunk and then left the restaurant.

Can someone still pitch in?

Thanks again guys!

[Mariner]

I think I understand now what you meant (well, we'll see!).

In a sentence like Cultural factors help explain why..., the bear infinitive part is a non-finite clause. This creates problems in the sentence structure identification, because different grammarians follow different definitions. According to some, a sentence such as the one above is a simple SVO (Subject, Verb, Object) sentence, while others consider it an SVCx, that is Subject, Verb, Unspecified Complement. The problem arises from the fact that non-finite clauses are less typical Objects compared to Noun Phrases.

Imagine a situation like Cultural factors help me explain why... Now, can that be called an SVOV structure? According to some grammarians, the whole OV structure (in this example "me explain why...") is better seen as a single constituent.

This is a problematic area for grammar. Surprise surprise...

[Humble]

Hi, Izabela,
You are right, compound verbal predicates are usually modal verbs+infinitive (sometimes with to):
You ought to listen to Mom.
Help is usually followed by to, but it seems in AE it can be omitted.
Help me make it through the night.
Cheers

[BobK]

Originally Posted by Humble

...
Help is usually followed by to, but it seems in AE it can be omitted.
Help me make it through the night.
Cheers

Not just AmE, Humble. That's fine in BE as well.