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Is it grammatical to use a gerund after "to help". To me saying: "to help protecting the environment" is ungrammatical. I would like to get the syntactic explanation.

Kris
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user299677
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    I went to help with the protection of the environment. I went to help Peter to protect the environment. I went to help protect the environment. But the participle cannot follow 'help' in that manner. It requires an object (direct or indirect) or an infinitive (either bare or 'to'). – Nigel J May 21 '18 at 12:14
  • No, "help" does not license (specifically permit) gerund-participial clauses as complement, only infinitival ones. – BillJ May 21 '18 at 19:07
  • Does this answer your question? What is the function of MIGHT , HELP and LEAVE here? – Edwin Ashworth Jan 19 '22 at 17:09
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    Interestingly, can't help behaves differently: << Also, can't help but or cannot but: Be unable to do otherwise. For example, • I can't help thinking that the keys will turn up eventually; • He couldn't help but believe he would pass the entrance exam; • I cannot but applaud his efforts. The first of these phrases, can't help, is always followed by a present participle whereas the others take an infinitive. >> [Dictionary.com] 'I can't help serving' ≠ 'I can't help with the serving'. – Edwin Ashworth Jul 22 '23 at 13:42
  • Put in a negative and a modal and you'll get very different behavior. Can help V-ing is a construction that's an NPI. – John Lawler Jul 22 '23 at 15:12
  • "I can help opening the window", "I will help opening the window" are fine. "I help opening the window" or "I want to help opening the window" is to me questionable, and I'd prefer "help with", "help by", or something else. I'd be OK with "to help opening the window is one of the duties of a footman", although it's very formal and not the usual way I'd express it. – Stuart F Aug 21 '23 at 14:06

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It is possible to use a gerund if the preposition in is inserted:

  • They ask the leader to help in urging the authority to hold the election on time.
Edwin Ashworth
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hiroshan
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