[Grammar] Infinitive / bare infinitive – ‘help’?

[dawnngcm]

I saw a grammar book state,

'Help is often followed by the simple form of a verb, as in (1). Although less common, an infinitive is also possible, as in (2).

(1) My brother helped me wash my car.
(2) My brother helped me to wash my car.'


Another source from Learning English, BBC World Service stated,
www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/learningenglish/grammar/learnit/learnitv226.shtml

'Help is a verb that can be used with or without to and with or without an object before the infinitive. When we use it without an infinitive it sometimes sounds more informal. Compare the following:

Could you help me to look for my car keys? I can't find them anywhere.
Could you help me look for my car keys? I can't find them anywhere.
Would you like to help to cook dinner tonight? It's late and I'm feeling tired.
Would you like to help cook dinner tonight? It's late and I'm feeling tired.'


Do our teachers agree with the above?

 

[5jj]

I don't think that the bare infinitive sounds more informal.

 

[Tdol]

And the sentences we are asked to compare don't do anything to show this alleged difference.

 

[dawnngcm]

And the sentences we are asked to compare don't do anything to show this alleged difference.

Excuse me, Tdol.

Do you mean sentences just from BBC don’t do anything to show this alleged difference?

Or both set of sentences, from the grammar book and BBC, don’t do anything to show this alleged difference.

 

[5jj]

Neither set of sentences does anything to show this alleged difference, in my opinion