In English, the verb "help" is a very commonly used verb that means "to help" or "to assist". When we use the word "help", we often come across two structures: "help sb do" and "help sb to do". Both of these constructions, while involved helping someone do something, have some subtle differences in usage and context.
Basic meaning
The 'help sb do' structure denotes directly helping someone to accomplish a certain action or action, where 'do' is the original form of the infinitive verb.
The 'help sb to do' structure denotes helping someone to prepare or start a certain action or behavior, where 'to do' is the full form of the infinitive verb.
Context
"help sb do" is often used to describe helping someone complete a simple, direct, or ongoing action. For example: "I helped him clean the room."(I helped him clean his room.) ）
"help sb to do" is more used to describe helping someone prepare or start an action that may require more planning or preparation. For example: "I helped him to prepare for the exam."(I helped him prepare for the exam.) ）
Grammatical structure
In the "help sb do" structure, the verb "do" does not need to be added with "to" because "help" already denotes the action of helping.
Whereas, in the "help sb to do" structure, the verb "to do" needs to be added with "to" to show helping someone to prepare or start an action.
Contextual differences
In everyday conversations, "help sb do" is more common because it is more direct and concise.
"help sb to do" is more common in some formal or written contexts because it more specifically describes the process of helping.
Conclusion:
In general, there are some differences in usage and context between "help sb do" and "help sb to do". The former is more direct and concise, while the latter is more specific and formal. In practice, the appropriate structure should be selected according to the specific situation and context. Regardless of the structure, care should be taken to keep grammatically correct and contextually appropriate to ensure clarity and accuracy.