I would like someone to do something

[Geozefal]

Common Errors in English, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #17 "My Thoughts", question 4

I would like you at see some pictures of my country and I will attach them to my next report.

(a) at
(b) of
(c) to

Common Errors in English, Elementary Level

ESL/EFL Test #17 "My Thoughts", answer 4

I would like you to see some pictures of my country and I will attach them to my next report.

Correct entry: to
The error was: (a) at
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correct?

[Hieu]

Hi Guest,

It is correct. You must learn by heart the phrase "I would like someone to do something". As you saw, "at" is a preposition, so it must be followed by a noun phrase, not a verb or verb phrase. You should use this clue to discover the wrong word in this sentence.

Thanks for your question.

Pham Trung Hieu

[Alan]

Hi,

It doesn't do to be too dogmatic about constructions in English. Remember some verbs can be followed by at and verbal nouns/gerunds as in: aim at becoming.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Only Three Letters

[Hieu]

Hi Alan,

Thanks. I forgot to list gerund there. Gerund 'becoming' here functioned as a noun. No verb comes directly after a preposition.

Hieu

[Alan]