this will help him sleeps (sleep)

Quick answer

Use the base verb (no -s) after help and after auxiliaries/modals. Pattern: help + object + (to) + base verb. Modals keep the base: will/can/might + help + object + base verb.

Correct: This will help him sleep. - NOT "sleeps."
Correct: She helped me finish the report. - NOT "finishes."
Both are acceptable: She helped me (to) move the desk. (bare infinitive is more common)

Core rule: help + object + base verb

When help is followed by an object (someone or something) and another verb, that second verb is the bare infinitive: help someone do something. You can optionally add to: help someone to do something.

The -s ending marks third-person agreement on the main verb (She helps). It does not belong on the verb that follows help: she helps him sleep - sleep stays in the base form.

Pattern: help + object + (to) + base verb - e.g., help her (to) fix the code.
With modals/auxiliaries: modal + help + object + base verb - e.g., will help him finish.

Rewrite checklist: find & fix your sentence

Quick three-step check: locate help (or a modal + help), identify the object, and inspect the verb after the object. If that verb has -s or a wrong tense, change it to the base verb.

Step 1: Search for help, helped, will help, can help.
Step 2: Identify the object immediately after help (him, us, the team).
Step 3: Use the base verb: remove -s or change the tense to the base unless a different auxiliary is present.

Rewrite examples:
I hope this will help him sleeps → I hope this will help him sleep.
They helped us prepares the slides → They helped us prepare the slides.
Can you help me moves this table? → Can you help me move this table?

Common wrong/right pairs (copyable templates)

Here are six direct wrong/right pairs you can paste into edits.

Wrong: This will help her finishes the task. -
Right: This will help her finish the task.
Wrong: She helped him writes the summary. -
Right: She helped him write the summary.
Wrong: Can you help me moves these boxes? -
Right: Can you help me move these boxes?
Wrong: The tutor will help the student understands the concept. -
Right: The tutor will help the student understand the concept.
Wrong: They helped us organizes the event. -
Right: They helped us organize the event.
Wrong: I'll help him finishes the setup. -
Right: I'll help him finish the setup.

Real usage and tone: optional to, contractions, and register

Both help someone do and help someone to do are correct. The bare infinitive (help someone do) is concise and common in workplace writing. Including to is natural in conversation and some varieties of English.

Contractions and casual wording don't change the rule. Modals still take the base verb: She can help you finish; He might help them decide.

Formal: The upgrade will help the team meet its targets.
Casual: I'll help you (to) set it up - both fine.
Modal reminder: She can help you finish on time - finish is base.

Examples

Work examples: emails, instructions, and reports

Keep sentences lean to avoid accidental agreement on the wrong verb.

Wrong: We will help each member completes the training. -
Right: We will help each member complete the training.
Wrong: She helped me edits the draft. -
Right: She helped me edit the draft.
Wrong: Can you help him prepares the slides? -
Right: Can you help him prepare the slides?

School examples: essays, lab reports, and feedback

Teachers expect the object to be the doer of the action, so the verb remains in base form even for singular objects.

Wrong: The assistant helped the student solves the problem. -
Right: The assistant helped the student solve the problem.
Wrong: The lab partner helped me writes the conclusion. -
Right: The lab partner helped me write the conclusion.
Wrong: Could you help her completes the assignment? -
Right: Could you help her complete the assignment?

Casual examples: texts, chats, and social posts

Short, friendly lines still follow the same pattern.

Wrong: I'll help him cooks tonight. -
Right: I'll help him cook tonight.
Wrong: Help me moves this weekend? -
Right: Help me move this weekend?
Wrong: She helped me chooses an outfit. -
Right: She helped me choose an outfit.

Try your own sentence

Test the whole sentence in context. If the person after help is the one doing the action, use the base verb. Read the sentence aloud to confirm natural flow.

Memory trick and quick editing checklist

Mnemonic: "Help + person + do" - picture the person doing the action. That mental image helps you keep the verb in the base form.

Editing checklist: locate help → find the object → remove -s from the following verb → read aloud.
If a modal (will/can/should) precedes help, the verb after help still stays base.

Example: I'll help him bake the cake - picture him baking; "bake" is base.

Hyphenation, spacing, and grammar cleanup

After fixing verb forms, run a quick mechanical pass: remove double spaces, check commas and periods, and avoid unnecessary hyphens. Hyphens belong in compound modifiers (a well-written report), not in verb phrases (avoid help-me-move).

Also confirm pronoun agreement (help him vs help them) and pluralization where needed (students learn vs student learns).

Remove extra spaces introduced during edits.
Check that hyphens aren't used in verb phrases.
Confirm punctuation placement per your style guide.

Similar mistakes to watch for

Some verbs follow different patterns. Let and make take a bare infinitive (He let me go; She made him apologize). Verbs like decide, plan, hope take to + infinitive (They decided to postpone). Group verbs by pattern as you learn them.

FAQ

Should I say "help someone do" or "help someone to do"?

Both are correct. "Help someone do" (bare infinitive) is more concise and common in American English; "help someone to do" is also acceptable. Either way, the verb stays in base form.

Why is "this will help him sleeps" wrong?

Because the verb after help describes what the object will do. The -s is a third-person present inflection that applies to the subject's main verb, not the verb following help. Use the base verb: help him sleep.

Do modals (will/can/should) change the rule?

No. Modals require the base verb, and the verb after help remains base: This will help her finish; Can you help me move?

How can I find these mistakes in a long document quickly?

Search for help and helped, then scan phrases where help is followed by a pronoun or noun and another verb. If the following verb has -s or an unnecessary past tense, switch it to the base form. Grammar-check tools can speed the process.

What other verbs behave like help?

Let and make take a bare infinitive. Verbs such as decide, plan, hope generally take to + infinitive. Group similar verbs together while editing to spot patterns faster.

Check one sentence now

Paste a sentence you're unsure about into a quick checker or follow the rewrite checklist above. Fixing "help him sleeps" to "help him sleep" is fast and improves clarity immediately.

If you want an automated highlight and explanation, run your sentence through a grammar checker to see suggested rewrites and the rule in context.