I hope you to do

Question

I'm taught that this sentence is incorrect.but My English teacher don't know why this is incorrect .I'd like to know .Please help me~

Philip · Accepted Answer

Big A DealI'm taught that this sentence is incorrect.

but My English teacher don't know why this is incorrect .

I'd like to know .

Please help me~

What is the sentence?

Khoff · Answer

Do you mean that you have been taught that a sentence like "I hope you to win the prize" is incorrect? In English we can say "I want you to win" but not "I hope you to win" -- you would have to say "I hope that you win," You could also say "I hope you win," which is really "I hope that you win" but "that" is omitted.

I hope I have clarified the question, but I am afraid I don't actually know the answer -- I don't know why we can say "I want you to win" but not "I hope you to win." I'll bet Paco can answer this one!

Big A Deal · Answer

I'm suprised because I belived that Native speaker always know why Enlish sturucture is formed on this way.

I'm poor . so I can't learn English structure by heart . I need to know why.

^ ^ Plz help me

Paco2004 · Answer

Hello Big

I'm an English learner from Japan. What is your mother tongue? Can you explain the usage of all of the words you use every day? As for me, I have spoken, heard, read, and written Japanese for a long time. But still I am struggling to try to understand why I have to use my language in the way as I am now using. One reason why I am learning English or other languages is to know better my own language.

As Khoff has already told you, you can say "I expect/hate/like/prefer/want/wish someone to do", but you cannot say "I hope someone to do". And you are asking why only "hope" differs from other verbs. I myself like to know the exact reason if there is any. :-) What I'll write below is nothing but my personal speculation.

I think "hope" in English connotes a very private mental activity that does not have an ability to do any transitive action upon other people or things. So "hope" is never used as a transitive verb beside in two exceptional constructs. Because "hope" is always intransitive by nature, you cannot say "I hope a peaceful life" or "I hope a bright future", for example. In such a case you have to say "I hope for a peaceful life" or "I hope for a bright future" instead. The two exceptional transitive constructs of "hope" are (1) <hope + that clause> (EX "I hope that he will return soon") and (2) <hope for someone to do> (EX "I hope for him to return soon").

Verbs like "expect", "hate", "like", "prefer", "want", or "wish" are similar to "hope" in that they connote also a private mental activity. But they are used as transitive verbs by nature. For example, we can say "I expected him at the meeting", "I like/hate him", "I prefer Bill to George", "I want some drink", and "I wish you Merry Christmas". I believe that is the reason why people don't feel any awkwardness in the use of the construct <verb someone to do> for such verbs.
paco

Big A Deal · Answer

Thanks for your answer.

but I can explain the usage of all of the words i use every day

at worst I can tell you like a foreigner the usage of some of korean words i use usually like "hope" , "want" , "get" , "make","go"

also I know hard usage of korean that almost korean people don't know.

even if I'm 18 years old.

English is hard -_-;; T_T

Paco2004 · Answer

but I can explain the usage of all of the words i use every day

It's nice.

paco

Goldmund · Answer

Big A Dealeven if I'm 18 years old.

Dear Big a Deal,

It is true. I too knew much when I was young. Now I am old, I know nothing. It is quite sad.

Kind regards,

Goldmund

I hope you to do

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions