Promise +IO+DO

Question

Hi, everyoneHe promised me  to go there.S: HeV: promisedIO : meDO: to go thereIs this analysis  right?Or it should be changed into below?He promised me that he would go there.Thanks in advance,Gooday!

Avangi · Accepted Answer

TasmanTiger
He promised me to go there.
S: He
V: promised
IO : me
DO: to go there
Is this analysis right?
Or it should be changed into below?
He promised me that he would go there.

Both sentences are fine.

I agree with your analysis,
but I believe the current way to deal with the first sentence is to call "me" the direct object,
and to call the infinitive phrase "to go there" an "object complement."
(We didn't have those when I was a lad.)

The rules seem to change from time to time.

I believe in your second version, the "that" clause would be considered the object complement, although I have a hard time resisting the impulse to call "me" the indirect object.

If you delete the "me," obviously it can't be the direct object:
He promised that he would go there. ("He promised to go there." also works.)

We'll see what CJ and BillJ have to say.

Regards, - A.

BillJ · Answer

TasmanTigerHe promised me to go there.
S: He
V: promised
IO : me
DO: to go there
Is this analysis right?
Or it should be changed into below?
He promised me that he would go there.

Yes, it should be changed to "He promised me that he would go there" (your first example is ungrammatical). The object is 'me' and the underlined subordinate clause is called a content clause, which functions as complement to the verb 'promise' - but it's not an object.

BillJ

CalifJim · Answer

TasmanTigerOr it should be changed into below?
He promised me that he would go there.

I would change it if I were you. Or leave out me in your first version. He promised to go there.

The use of me (or any similar pronoun) and an infinitive after the verb promise sounds anomalous to me. Nevertheless you'll get 37 million hits ( ! ) if you search for "promised me to" on Google, including these, all of which sound wrong to my ear unless (the first) me is removed.

He promised me to pay the difference.
He promised me to give me one of them.
He promised me to tell me what he said.
He promised me to solve the issue.
They promised me to lower my payments.
He even promised me to help in getting a job.
He promised me to mail me an extension.
They promised me to support my project.
She promised me to expedite the process.
_________

I'd recommend either "promised to" (no me) or "promised me that".

CJ

TasmanTiger · Answer

Oh, I got it!

In summary

He promised me to go there: ungrammitical or not recommended

He promised to go there : grammitical

He promised me that he would go there: grammitical

My English is getting improved , thanks to your advice: Avangi, BillJ and California Jim

Thanks !

Gooday!

CalifJim · Answer

TasmanTigerOh, I got it!

Yes, you did!

CJ

Promise +IO+DO

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