Bare Infinitive After Make, Let, and Perception Verbs
5 exercises — practise the bare infinitive after causative "make"/"let" versus to-infinitives after "force"/"get".
0 / 21 completed
1 / 21
Choose the sentence with the correct bare infinitive after "make".
"The misconfigured retry logic made the client resend the request five times" is correct: causative "make" is followed by object + bare infinitive (no "to"), so "resend" is correct. Option B incorrectly adds "to", which "make" in the causative sense does not take in active voice. Option C incorrectly uses the gerund "resending" instead of the bare infinitive. Option D incorrectly uses the past tense "resent" instead of the base form required after "make + object".
2 / 21
Which sentence correctly uses "let" with a bare infinitive?
"The feature flag lets admins bypass the rate limiter" is correct: "let" takes object + bare infinitive, so "bypass" without "to" is correct. Option B incorrectly adds "to" after "let", which is ungrammatical. Option C incorrectly uses the gerund "bypassing". Option D incorrectly uses the past tense "bypassed" instead of the base form.
3 / 21
Select the sentence that correctly contrasts "make" (bare infinitive) with "force" (to-infinitive).
"The outage made the team scramble, and it forced management to reassess the on-call rotation" is correct: "make" takes a bare infinitive ("scramble"), while "force" requires a to-infinitive ("to reassess"), unlike "make". Option B incorrectly adds "to" after "made" and omits it after "forced", reversing both patterns. Option C correctly handles "make" but incorrectly omits "to" after "forced". Option D incorrectly adds "to" after "made", though it correctly keeps "to" after "forced".
4 / 21
Which sentence correctly uses a perception verb with a bare infinitive to describe a completed observed action?
"The monitoring dashboard let the team see the pod restart automatically" is correct: "see" as a perception verb takes object + bare infinitive when describing the whole completed action, and "let" also takes a bare infinitive ("see"), both patterns correctly applied. Option B incorrectly adds "to" before "restart" after the perception verb "see". Option C uses the gerund "restarting", which would instead emphasize the action in progress rather than viewing it as a complete event; that is a valid but different pattern than the one being tested. Option D incorrectly uses the gerund "seeing" after "let", which requires a bare infinitive, not a gerund.
5 / 21
Which sentence correctly contrasts "get" (to-infinitive) with "make" (bare infinitive) in a code review scenario?
"The reviewer got the author to add tests, which made the pipeline pass on the next run" is correct: "get" (in the sense of persuading/causing someone to do something) requires a to-infinitive ("to add"), while "make" requires a bare infinitive ("pass"), and both are applied correctly here. Option B omits "to" after "got" and incorrectly adds it after "made", reversing both patterns. Option C correctly keeps "to" after "got" but incorrectly adds "to" after "made" as well. Option D incorrectly omits "to" after "got", though it correctly uses a bare infinitive after "made".
6 / 21
PR Description: "I'm making the API endpoint respond to POST requests and letting the user authenticate with their JWT. I made sure the server is processing the data correctly, and let the database handle the updates."
This question tests understanding in a practical context: a Pull Request description. The key is recognizing that after 'make' and 'let', you generally use the bare infinitive without 'to'. Adding 'ensure making' or using a preposition (like 'letting the user') introduces unnecessary complexity when a simple bare infinitive effectively communicates the action. It's crucial to prioritize clarity in technical documentation, and these constructions are standard for describing actions within code.
7 / 21
Reviewer: "I'm noticing that the service is consistently failing to update the cache after a new deployment. Let me investigate further."
Which of the following options best completes this Slack message?
The key here is understanding that 'let' followed by a bare infinitive indicates allowing something to happen naturally or passively. In this context, the reviewer isn't *forcing* the service to retry; they are simply observing and acknowledging the failure without intervening directly. Options B and C misinterpret 'let' as an action of control. Option D suggests a solution (force logging) which is not aligned with the observation described in the Slack message.
8 / 21
Sarah: 'I'm trying to make the new authentication flow work. I've made the service trigger a user token validation when a request comes in and let the server handle the session management. It's proving tricky!'
Mark: 'That sounds complex. Could you make us see exactly what's happening when a user logs in?'
Here, 'make' is used correctly after 'let' to request a specific action – a detailed observation. The key point is that 'make' functions as a verb here describing what Sarah needs Mark to do. It's common to use 'make' in this context when asking for clarification on a complex technical process; it frames the request for information as an active, observable event. Choosing option A or B would be incorrect because they misinterpret the function of 'make' within this sentence.
9 / 21
PR Description: "I'm making the API endpoint respond to POST requests and letting the user authenticate with their JWT. I made sure the server is processing the data correctly, and let the database handle the updates."
This question tests understanding in a practical context: a Pull Request description. The key is recognizing that after 'make' and 'let', you generally use the bare infinitive without 'to'. Adding 'ensure making' or using a preposition (like 'letting the user') introduces unnecessary complexity when a simple bare infinitive effectively communicates the action. It's crucial to prioritize clarity in technical documentation, and these constructions are standard for describing actions within code.
10 / 21
Reviewer: "I'm noticing that the service is consistently failing to update the cache after a new deployment. Let me investigate further."
Which of the following options best completes this Slack message?
The key here is understanding that 'let' followed by a bare infinitive indicates allowing something to happen naturally or passively. In this context, the reviewer isn't *forcing* the service to retry; they are simply observing and acknowledging the failure without intervening directly. Options B and C misinterpret 'let' as an action of control. Option D suggests a solution (force logging) which is not aligned with the observation described in the Slack message.
11 / 21
Sarah: 'I'm trying to make the new authentication flow work. I've made the service trigger a user token validation when a request comes in and let the server handle the session management. It's proving tricky!'
Mark: 'That sounds complex. Could you make us see exactly what's happening when a user logs in?'
Here, 'make' is used correctly after 'let' to request a specific action – a detailed observation. The key point is that 'make' functions as a verb here describing what Sarah needs Mark to do. It's common to use 'make' in this context when asking for clarification on a complex technical process; it frames the request for information as an active, observable event. Choosing option A or B would be incorrect because they misinterpret the function of 'make' within this sentence.
12 / 21
PR Description: "I'm making the API endpoint respond to POST requests and letting the user authenticate with their JWT. I made sure the server is processing the data correctly, and let the database handle the updates."
This question tests understanding in a practical context: a Pull Request description. The key is recognizing that after 'make' and 'let', you generally use the bare infinitive without 'to'. Adding 'ensure making' or using a preposition (like 'letting the user') introduces unnecessary complexity when a simple bare infinitive effectively communicates the action. It's crucial to prioritize clarity in technical documentation, and these constructions are standard for describing actions within code.
13 / 21
Reviewer: "I'm noticing that the service is consistently failing to update the cache after a new deployment. Let me investigate further."
Which of the following options best completes this Slack message?
The key here is understanding that 'let' followed by a bare infinitive indicates allowing something to happen naturally or passively. In this context, the reviewer isn't *forcing* the service to retry; they are simply observing and acknowledging the failure without intervening directly. Options B and C misinterpret 'let' as an action of control. Option D suggests a solution (force logging) which is not aligned with the observation described in the Slack message.
14 / 21
Sarah: 'I'm trying to make the new authentication flow work. I've made the service trigger a user token validation when a request comes in and let the server handle the session management. It's proving tricky!'
Mark: 'That sounds complex. Could you make us see exactly what's happening when a user logs in?'
Here, 'make' is used correctly after 'let' to request a specific action – a detailed observation. The key point is that 'make' functions as a verb here describing what Sarah needs Mark to do. It's common to use 'make' in this context when asking for clarification on a complex technical process; it frames the request for information as an active, observable event. Choosing option A or B would be incorrect because they misinterpret the function of 'make' within this sentence.
15 / 21
PR Description: "I'm making the API endpoint respond to POST requests and letting the user authenticate with their JWT. I made sure the server is processing the data correctly, and let the database handle the updates."
This question tests understanding in a practical context: a Pull Request description. The key is recognizing that after 'make' and 'let', you generally use the bare infinitive without 'to'. Adding 'ensure making' or using a preposition (like 'letting the user') introduces unnecessary complexity when a simple bare infinitive effectively communicates the action. It's crucial to prioritize clarity in technical documentation, and these constructions are standard for describing actions within code.
16 / 21
Reviewer: "I'm noticing that the service is consistently failing to update the cache after a new deployment. Let me investigate further."
Which of the following options best completes this Slack message?
The key here is understanding that 'let' followed by a bare infinitive indicates allowing something to happen naturally or passively. In this context, the reviewer isn't *forcing* the service to retry; they are simply observing and acknowledging the failure without intervening directly. Options B and C misinterpret 'let' as an action of control. Option D suggests a solution (force logging) which is not aligned with the observation described in the Slack message.
17 / 21
Sarah: 'I'm trying to make the new authentication flow work. I've made the service trigger a user token validation when a request comes in and let the server handle the session management. It's proving tricky!'
Mark: 'That sounds complex. Could you make us see exactly what's happening when a user logs in?'
Here, 'make' is used correctly after 'let' to request a specific action – a detailed observation. The key point is that 'make' functions as a verb here describing what Sarah needs Mark to do. It's common to use 'make' in this context when asking for clarification on a complex technical process; it frames the request for information as an active, observable event. Choosing option A or B would be incorrect because they misinterpret the function of 'make' within this sentence.
18 / 21
During a standup meeting, Alex says: 'I'm making the microservice handle incoming payments and letting the billing system process them. I made sure it correctly updates our ledger.' What is the most appropriate way to complete this sentence, ensuring correct usage of bare infinitives?
This question tests understanding of 'make' after 'letting'. The core issue is that Alex already stated he *lets* the billing system process payments - using 'make' again here is redundant and incorrect. The correct phrasing maintains the established action and avoids unnecessary repetition. The other options contain grammatical errors or irrelevant additions.
19 / 21
You're reviewing a PR that introduces a new feature for sending email notifications. The developer writes: 'I'm making the service send confirmation emails after users register and letting the system track their status.' Which option best describes the correct use of the bare infinitive in this sentence?
'Make' followed by a bare infinitive (to + verb) indicates initiating an action. Here, the service is *starting* to send emails. Using 'making' is correct because it describes the initiation of the process. Options B and C misinterpret the grammatical rule; 'letting' correctly follows 'make' when describing allowing something to happen.
20 / 21
A colleague, David, sends you a Slack message: 'I'm trying to make the database handle all user authentication and let the API validate those credentials.' You want to politely suggest a minor adjustment. Which of the following responses is most appropriate?
Option 2 directly addresses the potential misunderstanding of the bare infinitive use with 'make' and 'let'. It explains *why* this phrasing is preferred in a developer context – it's standard practice. Options A and B are overly enthusiastic or incorrectly suggest alternative phrasing. Option D focuses on perceived inefficiency without explaining the grammatical point.
21 / 21
In a PR description for a new feature that allows users to upload files, a developer writes: 'I'm making the server process these uploads and letting the storage service manage their location.' Which sentence best demonstrates correct usage of bare infinitives in this scenario?
'Make' followed by a bare infinitive describes initiating an action – in this case, the server *starts* processing uploads. 'Let' correctly follows 'make' to indicate delegation of responsibility to another service. Option A is incorrect because 'to process' would be a to-infinitive. Options C and D are redundant or misinterpret the role of each verb.
What will I practise in "Bare Infinitive After Make, Let, and Perception Verbs — IT Grammar Exercise"?
Practise the causative pattern verb + object + bare infinitive after "make" and "let", contrasted with to-infinitive verbs like "force" and "get", in developer
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This module has 21 multiple-choice exercises, each with instant feedback and a full explanation of the correct answer.
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