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Recommend to + infinitive



 
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Recommend to + infinitive #1 (permalink) Mon Nov 27, 2006 12:41 pm   Recommend to + infinitive
 

Hi, can recommend be followed by 'to + infinitive'? According to Google, it can but shouldn't it be followed by an infinitive without 'to'?

We recommend you use our new software.
not:
We recommend you to use our new software.

Any ideas?
Thanks,
Torsten

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Recommend #2 (permalink) Mon Nov 27, 2006 13:11 pm   Recommend
 

As far as I know, both ways of using 'recommend' are good English. Now the use of the subjunctive as in your second sentence 'We recommend (that) you use...' (and as with the verb 'suggest') is far more common.

Here's an old thread on the subject:

Recommend with or without 'to'
http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic6165.html
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Recommend to? #3 (permalink) Mon Nov 27, 2006 13:24 pm   Recommend to?
 

I remember that several months ago I wrote here the phrase that I heard (and still hear) quite often:
'What would you recommend me (to buy/to try/…)'

That time I had been given an answer that the only correct way is 'recommend to me to'
(with the argument that 'recommend me' in English literally means that someone recommend me, for example, to some another person for whatever it is.

Amy's explanation for 'recommend to me'
http://www.english-test.net/forum/ftopic9900.html
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Recommend to? #4 (permalink) Mon Nov 27, 2006 13:46 pm   Recommend to?
 

Hi Torsten

We recommend (that) you use our new software. (recommend + clause; 'use' is subjunctive)
We recommend using our new software. (recommend + what is recommended -OR- a gerund)

We recommend you to use our new software. This sounds horrible to me. :cry:

Amy
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Recommend to? #5 (permalink) Mon Nov 27, 2006 14:21 pm   Recommend to?
 

Hi,

Funny how ears react in different ways. Recommend someone to do something doesn't assault my ears or even make them twitch. On the other it doesn't make them jump for joy, either. On the related use of 'recommend' it is worth noting that if someone has told you it would be a good idea to use a certain person for a particular job, your opening gambit could be: Hello. You were recommended to me as someone who might be able to help me with a plumbing problem.

A
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Recommend to? #6 (permalink) Mon Nov 27, 2006 15:05 pm   Recommend to?
 

.
Yes, and if I think 'you' would be an excellent choice for a job-opening that John has, I might say: I'll recommend you to John. :D
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