Make vs Let + Base Verb

Make and let are special grammar rebels. Most verbs need the word to before the next action. For example, you say "I want to go." But make and let are different. They jump straight to the action. We call this the base verb or the bare infinitive. It makes your English sound punchy and fast. Think of it like a grammar shortcut. You skip the to and get straight to the point. This is one of those rules that native speakers use naturally. If you add to, it sounds very strange to them. It is like putting salt in your coffee. It just does not belong there!

1. 1Start with the person in charge (the Subject).
2. 2Add the verb make or let in any tense.
3. 3Add the person receiving the action (the Object).
4. 4Add the base verb (the action) without to.
5. 5Example: "The coach (1) made (2) the team (3) run (4) extra laps."
6. 6Example: "My dad (1) lets (2) me (3) use (4) his car."
7. 7Remember, only the first verb changes for time. If it happened yesterday, use made. If it happens every day, use lets. The second verb always stays simple. It never gets an -ing or an -ed. It stays in its purest form. It is the easiest part of the sentence!

Use make when there is no choice. Think of a strict teacher or a bossy friend. Use it for rules and chores. "The rain made us stay inside." Here, the weather is the boss. Use it for strong emotions too. "That movie made me cry." You did not choose to cry. The movie forced those tears out!

Use let when someone gives a green light. It is about permission or opportunity. "The guard let us enter the building." It can also mean "allow to happen." "Let the paint dry before touching it." In a job interview, you might say, "Please let me explain my experience." It sounds professional and polite. It shows you are asking for the floor.

Do not use this pattern in the passive voice. This is a sneaky trap! If you say "I was made to work," you must add to. It is one of the few times the rule changes. But don't worry too much yet. At the B1 level, focus on the active voice first. Also, do not use make for polite suggestions. "I will make you have tea" sounds like a threat! Instead, say "Let me get you some tea." Use let for offers and make for requirements. Avoid using these for physical pushing. Use the verb push or force for that.

The biggest mistake is adding to. "He let me to go" is a classic error. Just say "He let me go." It is shorter and better. Another mistake is using -ing. "She made me crying" is incorrect. Use "She made me cry." Yes, even native speakers mess this up when they are tired! Another error is changing the second verb's tense. "They made him worked" is wrong. Always use the base form: "They made him work." Think of the second verb as being frozen in time. It never changes, no matter what.

Allow and permit are like let. However, they are more formal. They also require the word to. "They let me stay" vs. "They allowed me to stay." Force and require are like make. They also need to. "He made me pay" vs. "He forced me to pay." Notice how make and let are the only ones that skip to. This makes them the "cool kids" of the causative world. They like to keep things simple and fast.