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ESL forum >
Message board > recommend somebody to do something
recommend somebody to do something
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ueslteacher
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recommend somebody to do something
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Dear native-speaking friends, is "recommend somebody to do something" a correct usage? I �ve been using the phrase quite comfortably until today when a colleague of mine pointed out a usage note in a dictionary which said that recommend is not used in such a phrase. It appears that very much like "suggest" it should be used with a noun or gerund... I am confused, is it that "recommend to do something" is not used without an object? |
20 May 2014
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ascincoquinas
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Hi there!
Like you I am not sure .... but here �s a quotation from LONGMAN DICTIONARY:
rec‧om‧mend [transitive] 1 to advise someone to do something, especially because you have special knowledge of a situation or subject  Sleeping tablets are not recommended in this case. 2 to say that something or someone is good, or suggest them for a particular purpose or job: I recommend the butter chicken - it �s delicious. Can you recommend a good lawyer?
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20 May 2014
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cunliffe
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It �s absolutely fine, Sophia.
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20 May 2014
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ueslteacher
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@Lynne: thanks for reassuring:)!
@ascincoquinas : exactly what I said. Have a look here under meaning #2 recommend somebody to do somethingWe �d recommend you to book your flight early.
So, my question was: it seems we cannot use "recommend to do something" but we CAN use "recommend somebody to do something" right?
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20 May 2014
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MoodyMoody
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My mother recommended Michael Pendleton to replace our leaky roof. So, it �s fine stateside as well. |
20 May 2014
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danhim
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Like Advise, we can say recommend somebody to do something, but recommend doing something. |
21 May 2014
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Peter Hardy
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The problem lies in transitive nature. �I recommend to do the dishes � is tricky and sounds rather strange, because �to do smth � is not really an object. So we �d say "I recommend you do the dishes" or "I recommend doing the dishes" (my daughter would know it �s her last warning, too). Question: What word group is �shopping � in "I recommend shopping"? Indeed. But doing has a different role in that it also needs an object. Doing by itself is kind of futile. Replace it with i.e. go. Would you say "I recommend to go to town" or "I recommend going to town" or "I recommend you go to town"? So your 2n phrase "I recommend to do something" only works if �to-do-smth � is the object. Easiest done when you change it into the gerund �doing something �. (Yeah, I surprised myself too.) In conclusion, your cat-phrase "recommend somebody to do something" is correct. But as it goes when you say something to often, I starts to sound strange. So I recommend you change your cat-phrases once in a while, or use more than one :-) That will keep your colleague on his/her toes, too :-) Cheers, Peter
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21 May 2014
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FrauSue
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Ah, there is a slight subtlety here, at least in UK English.
If we are giving advice or a suggestion, we use recommend that someone do something. I think that it would be a good idea if you repaired my car (because otherwise I �ll be angry and hit you) - I recommend that you repair my car.
If we are putting someone �s name forward for something, we use recommend someone for something or recommend someone to do something. I think that you are the best person to do the repair and therefore I will tell the garage boss that you are my first choice - I �ll recommend you to repair my car.
Another example: I think Bill would be a great chairman! I �m going to have a coffee with Bill and talk to him about this. In this conversation with Bill, I �ll recommend that he run for chairman. And I might even go to the boss of the company and discuss Bill with him. In that conversation, I will recommend Bill to be the chairman. |
22 May 2014
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nasreddine Sarsar
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Recommend somebody do something: I recommendshe do the job. Do here is in the present subjunctive.
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22 May 2014
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