在这里，我们愿意试答一些读者提出的两个有关裸形不定式（bare infinitive,即不带to的不定式）的问题。
第一个问题是：小说《简·爱》（Jane Eyre ）中有这样一个对话：
(1)— Alone. Jane?
— Yes. It is see or hear news of a friend about whom I have for some time been anxious.
请问see之前是否漏掉了to? 这个句子对吗？
这句话并没有错。其中see之前是省去了不定式符号to，而不是漏掉了to. 当然在see之前也可以加上to, 这样可显得正式一些。但在口语体中，则可用裸形不定式。同样的句型再如：
(2)Phalinger's rifle came up. It was live or die .
省去to的裸形不定式并不限于上述句型，还有许多可省去to的情况，再如：
(3)They not only want do the activity, they feel a basic need to look the part.
(4)There'll be no man say I tried and failed.
(5)If you'll be so good as give me your keys, my dear, I'll attend to all this sort of thing in future.
第二个问题是：
(6)What do you want me to do? Put the clock back?
如何解释这里的put呢？
如果上述句（1）—（5）中的裸形不定式是一种省去to的省略形式的话，那么，上述句（6）中的put就是一种并非省去to的裸形不定式。严格说来，它只是一种动词原形，因为它与不定式并没有多大关系。但是语法家们仍唤它作裸形不定式或简单不定式（simple infinitive）。这种裸形不定式可能源自祈使语气，也有人说它源自虚拟语气。但不管它来自哪一种语气，它在现代英语中，从结构或用法上看，已既不是祈使语气也不是虚拟语气了。它常充作谓语动词，可以用单个，也可以用多个。
让我们先探讨一下它的单个用法。这种用法似乎最为常见。它又可分为下列几类：
1. 用于疑问句：上述句（6）即属于此类，再如：
(7)What could she say? Deny the truth to her own child?
(8)It's a lie! A shameless lie! I smash pots and pans?
(9)How say you? 你意如何？
(10)Why not stay here a little longer?
2. 用于感叹句：
(11)Talk about snow! 好大的雪!
(12)Jeanny keep a secret! She'll have told a dozen people by now, or I'll eat my hat.
(13)A man not know what he had on! No, no!
3. 用于重复：
(14)— How you must have hated it!
— Hate it? I have never been so happy in my life.
(15)— I did not know he ever did call on her. He does not know her.
— Not know Miss Mitchell?
— I thought you were talking of Miss Robertson.
(16)— Nephew! Keep Christmas in your own way, and let me keep it in mine.
— Keep it! But you don't keep it.
4. 用于表让步等的从句：
(17)I couldn't resist my curiosity, my anxiety — call it what you will.
(18)Try as I please, I cannot join myself on with the doctor.
(19)Turn which way he would, there appeared to be no avoiding the blow.
然后让我们看一下这种裸形不定式的多个式用法。这种用法也不罕见，它又可分为连用两个和连用两个以上两种情况：
1. 连用两个裸形不定式，实例如：
(20)In the interim he had to find some means of keeping Laxalt devoted. Perhaps promise him a second term as governor, maybe just offer to put on the payroll. Or why not both?
(21)Gray light in the east now, and he began to experiment with his composition. Move tripod two feet left, readjust legs sticking in muddy ground by the stream.
2. 连用两个以上的裸形不定式，实例如：
(22)Fight , fail , fight again , fail again...till their victory; that is the logic of the people.
(23)Make trouble, fail , make trouble again, fail again...till their doom; that is the logic of the imperialists and all reactionaries the world over in dealing with the people's cause.
(24)He sat at the table again, smoking, taking a drink of beer now and then. She cooked, sipping on her beer between tasks. ...Vegetable oil, one and one-half cups of vegetables. Cook until light brown.
Add flour and mix well. Add water, a pint of it. Add remaining vegetables and seasonings. Cook slowly, about forty minutes.
由以上五例可以看出，这种连用非省略式的裸形不定式的用法的主要目的在于叙谈一种状况。这种状况可能是一种系统，也可能是一种规律。但一般不是一系列具体要做的动作或是正在进行的一系列动作。否则就须分别使用带to的不定式和动名词了。
31《英语语法手册》上为什么省去了to?
有一读者问：某期《英语学习》中的《help后动词不定式何时要用to?》一文谈到Frederick T. Wood博士认为：
(1)I helped her to mount her bicycle.
一句中的to不能省去。然而《英语语法手册》（修订本）上都有：
(2)Being criticized helped him see things more clearly.
(3)Party Secretary Wang helped Xiao Li see his error.
这种情况似乎与例（1）相同，因为“看事情”和“认识错误”别人都无法承担任务，只能起到从旁帮助的作用，同理不能省去to，而为什么却偏偏把to都省去了呢？
F.T.Wood先生的确认为“help+宾语”之后接带to的不定式和接不带to的不定式二者在含义上有所不同：后者意味着帮助者本人参与了行动，承担了一部分工作，从而减轻了被帮助者一部分负担；前者则相反，只能从旁帮助被帮助者达到其目的，而不能承担其一部分工作。这是F.T.Wood先生一向锐敏与精细之处。
然而，如果动词不定式表的是抽象动作，如例（2）与例（3）的see，而不是像例（1）的mount那样的具体动作的话，动词不定式的to则似乎是可用可不用的，如：
(4)Trade helps industry （to）develop.
例（4）这里显然不容易得出这样一种结论：因为贸易直接参与了工业的发展，故可以省去to。
在这种情况下，重要的倒是不带to的动词不定式在逻辑上必须与help的主语取得一致，否则似不宜省去to。例（4）的develop可以省去to，因为主语trade可以develop。例（3）中的see可以省去to，因为它与主语party Secretary Wang在逻辑上是说得通的。例（2）的主语形式上虽是动名词被动结构，表动作，但实际上是指动作的执行者，所以它和省去to的see在逻辑上也是一致的。
另外，省不省去to与文体亦有关系。在正式文体中多用to，而在非正式文体中，不带to的结构则较为常见。即使在美国英语里，带to的不定式亦较严谨。一位著名的美国语法家曾举例说明如下：
(5)I helped him do （or especially in careful language to do）it.
但在美国，人们一般似乎并不按照F.T.Wood先生的看法行事，如在一美国刊物中谈到家庭教育时，就有这样一句话：
(6)With young children in particular, parents can help children abide by limitations with a little preparation. （这里显然没有父母直接参与了被帮助者abide by的行动的含义）
“help（以及know, find等）加一个用作宾语的名（代）词”之后之所以可以跟带to或不带to的不定式，盖由历史演变而来。在远古英语里，动词不定式和名词一样也有各种格的形式。与格之前常有to，对格之前则不带to。现在的带to的不定式即来自与格，不带to的不定式即来自对格。两者在历史上并存了很久。如今虽然带to的不定式在许多方面占了上风，但不带to的不定式并未完全退出历史舞台，而在某些方面仍颇有生命力。
