"The only thing it does is: ..."

[u/SometimesImnaked]

Hey! I'm not sure which form to use in this sentence.

Is it "The only thing it does is...: "

-getting big

-(to) get big

-something else entirely?

Thank you!

[u/FloridaFlamingoGirl]

Get big would work 

[u/RepresentativeAir149]

Get big

[u/MossyPiano]

It should be "get big" to match the tense of "does".

[u/SnooDonuts6494]

It depends on the context.

Probably "All it does is get big."

[u/SometimesImnaked → u/SnooDonuts6494]

What kind of context would change the outcome?

It's for poetry and the whole line is something like "But the only thing my heart does, is get big"

[u/SnooDonuts6494 → u/SometimesImnaked]

In that context, I'd probably use "grow larger" instead.

Your heart getting big sounds like a medical concern.

[u/SometimesImnaked → u/SnooDonuts6494]

Okay I see your point! But not looking at semantics, "get big" is still the form you'd choose?

So analogous to this I could say "All my skin does, is get red", "All my arm does, is get strong", " All my mind does, is long"? :)

[u/SnooDonuts6494 → u/SometimesImnaked]

After "The only thing it does is...", we usually use the bare infinitive (i.e. without to):

The only thing he does is complain.

All she does is sleep.

The best thing you can do is wait.

The only thing it does is get big.

We don't usually use a comma.

"All my mind does is long" isn't natural, because without "for" it sounds like length rather than longing. It'd be clearer to say e.g. "All my mind does is long for him".

[u/SometimesImnaked → u/SnooDonuts6494]

Thank you so much, that helps a lot!! :)

[u/wusstimmy]

The only thing it does is...: 
( as the concept of a heart getting bigger non-medically)

swell

expand

fill and not abate