"Eles têm ajudado a minha filha a ter melhores notas."

Translation: They have been helping my daughter to get better grades.

[Dr.Fandey]

So, if we have ajudar + noun, we don't need the preposition "a"; and if it is ajudar+verb, then we need it? (Ajudar uma menina / ajudar a fazer o almoço)?

[microgriff]

what if one were to omit 'ter' and use melhorar here ? would it be okay ?

[Paulenrique]

then it would be "eles têm ajudado a minha filha a melhorar AS notas" (melhorar = improve)

[petee0518]

could you use "melhorar seus notas" as well (improve HER grades)?

[LeonCarmona]

"melhorar suAs notas" , once daughter is feminine

[petee0518]

yup, my mistake. but it would be "suas" because "notas" is feminine, not "filha"

[LeonCarmona]

that's actually what I meant to say. You're learning it well.

[e.cambourn]

What purpose does the a serve before ter?

[Paulenrique]

ajudar + someone + a + doing something

[delvi]

Would "have better grades" also be correct

[Ray301962]

I put "daughter get better grades" and it was marked wrong. "to get better grades" sounds a little "clunky" in American English.

[HarryHalle2]

I could swear that in prior occurrences of this exercise I chose "notas melhores", and it was accepted.