Hi, first-time poster I have a tentative sentence with which I've been struggling. Hope I'm in the right section for such matters? It's as follows: "She tried to transform the fast-food industry and [to?] challenge some of the most fundamental assumptions about those who work in it." My question essentially boils down to is that second "to" necessary? Idk the rule here, if there is one. Sounds a little redundant with it, sounds a little informal without. Thank you so much.
Short answer, no. You don't have to use the second "to." You're using an infinitive (to transform) and a bare infinitive (challenge) in a compound. That's legal. You can tell "challenge" is a bare infinitive and not just a verb because it's always singular. L@@K . . . She challenges. They challenge. I challenge. It challenges. "Challenge" is singular or plural there depending on the subject. It's just a verb. But in yours, no matter what the subject is, "challenge" does not change. Infinitives are always singular. She tried to . . . . and challenge . . . They tried to . . . . and challenge . . . I tried to . . . . and challenge . . . It tried to . . . . and challenge . . . So even though you dropped "to," it is still an infinitive. You are using a parallel structure that is properly balanced. Good job!
I wish I did. I knew the second 'to' was redundant (which is good enough, I suppose) but @Seven Crowns explanation might as well have been written in hieroglyphics. I'm completely blind to written explanations - I'm sure it's some kind of dyslexia.
I'm with Seven Crowns here, but I'll throw my own explanation in the ring for the sake of it. "She tried to transform the fast-food industry and challenge some of the most fundamental assumptions about those who work in it." Makes perfect sense. "She tried to transform the fast-food industry and [to?] challenge some of the most fundamental assumptions about those who work in it." Also makes perfect sense. Both are dependent on the "she tried to". Since they're both using the one "to", there's no need for a second.
