Supposedly someone says thank you to you because you have helped them cleaning the back yard. Do you say, not a problem or no problem? What is the difference?
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Hi, Tony C,
@Tony C posted:Supposedly someone says thank you to you because you have helped them cleaning the back yard. Do you say, not a problem or no problem? What is the difference?
This question isn't related to grammar, but to style. Both of them are used informally. To me, 'no problem' is similar to 'it's nothing' and seems more common than 'not a problem'. There are many better expressions to use, such as:
- You're welcome.
- My pleasure.
- Happy to help.
- I'm glad you like it.
The problem with 'no problem' is that it is widely used as a response to every thing: polite requests, suggestions, invitations, etc. Also, sometimes, it gives a negative feeling as it may make the listener feel that there has been actually a problem.
@Tony C posted:. . . because you have helped them cleaning the back yard.
Hello, Tony—I agree with the answer Ahmed has given you. I'd just like to point out that your first sentence is incorrect. You need "clean" (the base form of the verb), not "cleaning." We help people do things; we don't help them doing them.
Thank you both Ahmed and David.
David-Thank you for the correction, but I thought that if there are two verbs then the second verb needs to be followed by gerund ("ing form") or we can use to infinitive.
For this reason, I stated:
...because you have helped them cleaning the back yard.
Why do we use base form for the verb" help"? Is this an exception to the grammar rules, like the verb "let", for example: I let you go, instead of saying I let you going. If so, what are other example where we have to use the base form of verb.
@Tony C posted:Why do we use base form for the verb" help"? Is this an exception to the grammar rules, like the verb "let", for example: I let you go, instead of saying I let you going. If so, what are other example where we have to use the base form of verb.
Yes, Tony, "help" is a special verb—a very special verb, like "let." We use "help" in the complementation pattern [help] + [direct object] + [base form of a verb]. Optionally, the base form after the direct object can be a "to"-infinitival: "You have helped them (to) clean the backyard." Normally, it's just the base form. To illustrate, here's a famous line of Tom Cruise, in the movie Jerry Maguire.
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