"charged with..." vs "charged to..."

Question

Hi everyone, i know it's correct to say "i was charged with managing* my company's expense account." But is it also OK to say "I was charged *to manage my company's expense account."

The dictionary only seems to list examples using "with". However, i can't help feeling that the "to+infinitive" sounds OK, and actually better when you insert an agent into the equation, as in the sentence " I was charged by my boss to manage my company's expense account."

I'd like to get your thoughts on this if possible

Thanks in advance,
TTT

Grammarfreak · Accepted Answer

twistedthistlei know it's correct to say "i was charged with managing* my company's expense account."

No, on the contrary, it is incorrect. First of all, all " i's " should be capitalized. Secondly, "charged" has different meanings depending how it is used. e.g. www.9news.com/.../Man-charged-with-arson-after-apartment-explosion?

1 day ago - ... burglary, trespassing and criminal mischief. On Tuesday, he was charged with criminal impersonation, according to Colorado court records.

I think you wanted to say " I was in charge of managing my company's expense account..."

twistedthistleBut is it also OK to say "I was charged *to manage my company's expense account."

No, but try: I was put in charge to manage .......

Twistedthistle · Answer

Thanks for your reply grammarfreak but I'm afraid it is correct to say "charged with a task/performing a task" as this entry from the Oxford dictionary should confirm:
Charge: [transitive] (usually passive) (formal) to give somebody a responsibility or task
*charge somebody with something* The committee has been charged with the development of sport in the region.charge somebody with doing something The governing body is charged with managing the school within its budget.

CalifJim · Answer

twistedthistle Hi everyone, i know it's correct to say "i was charged with managing* my company's expense account." But is it also OK to say "I was charged *to manage my company's expense account." The dictionary only seems to list examples using "with". However, i can't help feeling that the "to+infinitive" sounds OK, and actually better when you insert an agent into the equation, as in the sentence " I was charged by my boss to manage my company's expense account." I'd like to get your thoughts on this if possible Thanks in advance,TTT

'charged with -ing' and 'charged to -' are both used when speaking of the assignment of duties. Examples:

The department was charged with protecting marines returning from Afghanistan.
The committee was charged to explore the possibility of increasing tax revenues.

My personal preference is for the first of the two. It seems to me that the first is used more often. To my ear there is something a little odd about the second form.

CJ

Twistedthistle · Answer

Hi CJ, yes that was my feeling also, that the first one sounds more natural. Would you agree though that the second example you gave sounds more natural when you add an agent? So,

The committee was charged by the CEO to explore the possibility of increasing tax revenues.

as opposed to

The committee was charged by the CEO with exploring the possibility of increasing tax revenues.

I'm sure that both are technically correct, but if we're going by ear alone...what do you think?

CalifJim · Answer

twistedthistleif we're going by ear alone...what do you think?

By ear alone? Hmmm.

I can't say that I have a strong opinion one way or the other. I suppose that, out of habit, I'd just use 'with -ing' the same whether the by-phrase was present or not.

CJ

Twistedthistle · Answer

OK. Thanks CJ <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

"charged with..." vs "charged to..."

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