'to ban smoking in public places', 'to ban people to smoke in public places', 'that smoking is banned in public places', 'that people are banned to smoke in public places'

Question

Hi dear teachers,

I want to ask you a few things about the following sentence, please.

The sentence:
- Do you think it's a good idea to ban smoking in public places?

Here are the things which I want your help with:
1) Can we alter the original sentence to 'Do you think it's a good idea to ban people to smoke in public places?'? And if yes, then would it affect the meaning of our original sentence in any way?

2) How about saying/writing 'Do you think it's a good idea that smoking is banned in public places?' Or 'Do you think it's a good idea that people are banned to smoke in public places?'?

Thank you all for all the help you've providing!

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

LaboriousDo you think it's a good idea to ban smoking in public places?

The two variants of this question that you are looking for are shown below. In the second sentence "should" is optional.

Do you think it's a good idea to ban people from smoking in public places?
Do you think it's a good idea that smoking (should) be banned in public places?

CJ

Laborious · Answer

Thanks a lot to you, teacher!

CalifJimDo you think it's a good idea that smoking (should) be banned in public places?

Teacher, could you please tell me what that structure (where we use 'be' after the subject, as you've used in that sentence above) is called?

And, if you have time, could you please explain to me when to use that structure?

Thank you!

CalifJim · Answer

Laboriousplease tell me what that structure (where we use 'be' after the subject, as you've used in that sentence above) is called?

It's called a mandative construction or a present subjunctive. I prefer the designation mandative construction because it's related to the word "command", which is when you use it, generally speaking.

It's often used after the verbs "demand (that)", "insist (that)", "recommend (that)", and "suggest (that)", in any tense. Other verbs and nouns and expressions with similar meanings are also found with the mandative construction. In your sentence the proposition of banning smoking is like commanding something, so the mandative is used there as well.

"be" substitutes for am, is, are, was, or were in this construction.

I suggest that you be there on time.
They demanded that Lucy be ready at 6 o'clock.
We recommend that the butter be mixed with the flour first.

For other verbs in the that-clause, the only thing that is different in the mandative construction is that you don't add "s" to the verb where you would normally add it.

Tina insisted that Bob take out the garbage. (take, not the expected takes)

Other than that, you can't even tell that the mandative is being used:

Helen demands that we go to the tennis match this coming Saturday. (go doesn't have an "s" to remove)

CJ

'to ban smoking in public places', 'to ban people to smoke in public places', 'that smoking is banned in public places', 'that people are banned to smoke in public places'

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