Question

Is the following type of construction gramatically correct?
"This money will help me to buy food, to save for later, and to keep myself entertained."
Or can I omit the second to words like:
"This money will help me to buy food, save for later, and keep myself entertained."

Sorry for the silly example, I'm just wondering about the construction!

Answer 1

isn't it he second one? (:

Answer 2

Its the second one. :)

Answer 3

I *think* they're both technically grammatically correct.

Answer 4

These are both grammatically correct. The term you are looking for to describe these is "parallel." You can either keep the "to" or get rid of it, so long as you can read it with it there. You can't say: "This money will help me to buy food, save for later, and fishing" because this doesn't make sense: "This money will help me TO buy food, TO save for later, TO fishing." So it is your choice to keep the to or not, so long as every verb is in the same tense. (Remember, "to ________" is the infinite tense).

Answer 5

I prefer the second, it is shorter and more elegant.

Answer 6

The second sounds better, but I would think you would place the articles in the list in chronological order, as you wouldn't save money before you spent it.

That's just me.