bareinfinitiivin

Bare infinitive is a grammatical term referring to the base form of a verb used without the infinitive marker "to." For example, in the sentence "I saw him run," "run" is a bare infinitive. This contrasts with the full or to-infinitive, as seen in "I want to run."

Bare infinitives typically appear after certain verbs, most commonly verbs of perception such as see, hear, feel, notice, and watch, as well as verbs like let, make, and help. For instance, one might say "Let her go" or "Help me understand." Modal verbs like can, could, will, would, shall, should, may, might, and must also require a bare infinitive immediately following them, as in "She can sing" or "You must leave."

The use of the bare infinitive is a feature of English grammar and can be distinguished from other verb forms. It is important to note that in some cases, the choice between a bare infinitive and a to-infinitive can affect the meaning of the sentence. For example, "I heard him sing" implies the speaker heard the entire act of singing, while "I heard him to sing" is grammatically incorrect in modern English and would suggest a different, less common meaning. The precise rules governing the use of bare infinitives can be complex and are a subject studied in linguistics and English grammar.