Sentences (Q1): I regret that... = I'm sorry to...

Question

Hello teachers,

Is it grammatically correct to say "I regret (that) I can't accept your proposal", please? Is 'that' necessary or could we leave that out?

Is it possible to say "I'm sorry to refuse to accept your proposal" as well?

Thank you very much.

RandomGuy · Accepted Answer

LaboriousIs it grammatically correct to say "I regret (that) I can't accept your proposal", please? Is 'that' necessary or could we leave that out?

Yes, it’s grammatically correct. Yes, you could leave that out. I personally wouldn’t.

LaboriousIs it possible to say "I'm sorry to refuse to accept your proposal"?

To accept is superfluous.

Laborious · Answer

Aspara GusTo accept is superfluous.

Thanks a lot, AG. Did you mean we could omit 'to accept' in that sentence? Would saying "I'm sorry to refuse to your proposal" be correct? And would it convey the same meaning as "I regret that I can't accept your proposal"?

Thank you.

RandomGuy · Answer

LaboriousDid you mean we could omit 'to accept' in that sentence?

I meant you should omit it (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/superfluous). Without it the sentence is fine.

LaboriousAnd would it convey the same meaning as "I regret that I can't accept your proposal"?

Yes.

Laborious · Answer

Thanks... thanks... thanks...

I thought that we should have 'a verb in the infinitive with to' after 'refuse', for exShe refused to go, and that using a noun or a noun phrase after it (refuse) would be wrong as in 'I'm sorry to refuse to your posposal'.
I think the 'to' in my latter example 'I'm sorry to refuse to your posposal" is used as a preposition, not as part of a verb, but I'm not quite sure of it. Could you please make it clear to me?

RandomGuy · Answer

LaboriousI thought that we should have 'a verb in the infinitive with to' after 'refuse', for exShe refused to go,

You can; it’s just that refuse to accept in your sentence is wordy.

LaboriousI think the 'to' in my latter example 'I'm sorry to refuse to your posposal" is used as a preposition, not as part of a verb, but I'm not quite sure of it.

You’re right, and it’s wrong because refuse doesn’t take a preposition phrase. It takes a to-infinitival or a noun phrase.

RandomGuy · Answer

LaboriousWould saying "I'm sorry to refuse to your proposal" be correct?

I just noticed the second to in that sentence. No, it wouldn’t be correct, for the reason I gave above.
Omitting to accept leaves you with I’m sorry to refuse your proposal.

Laborious · Answer

Aspara GusI just noticed the second to in that sentence.

Thank you, AG, for that.

I want to ask you another question If I may, please. But it's not about 'refuse', it's about 'regret'. The sentence that I wrote with 'regret' was: I regret (that) I can't accept your proposal.

If we write that sentence (I regret (that) I can't accpet your proposal) with 'that', for example, I regret that I can't accept your proposal, it will have one independent / principal clause and one dependent/subordinate clause. The idependent (or prinicipal) clasue is I regret and the dependent / subordinate clause is that I can't accept your proposal. am I right, Aspara Gus? If so, then would we still have one independent clause and one dependent clause if wrote that without 'that'? For example, in I regret I can't accept your proposal, do we have two independent clauses or do we have one independent / principal and one dependent / subordinate clause, please?

And can 'regret', too, be followed by a noun or noun phrase, please?

Thank you.

RandomGuy · Answer

LaboriousThe independent (or prinicipal) clasue is I regret and the dependent / subordinate clause is that I can't accept your proposal. am I right, Aspara Gus?

Not quite. The main clause is the entire sentence, I regret that I can’t accept your proposal, with the subordinate clause you identified embedded within. A clause consists of a head verb and (possibly) various accompanying dependents, including the subject, complements, and adjuncts. The subordinate clause is a dependent of the verb, a complement, so it is an essential part of the main clause.

The omission of the subordinator that does not change the grammar.

LaboriousAnd can 'regret', too, be followed by a noun or noun phrase, please?

Yes. (You can find out stuff like this in a dictionary.)

Sentences (Q1): I regret that... = I'm sorry to...

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