Indicating obligation and willingness
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Using verbs to indicate obligation | page 4 of 5 |
Indicating suggested obligation
With suggested obligation, the person referred to (often the hearer) has more choice. This can be glossed as advice and hints.
Here is a list of verbs which are typically used to offer advice and hints (and warnings):
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Meanwhile, all we can advise is stay away from the above-mentioned places and, please - lock up your daughters! (SCMP 11/3/94)
We recommend that the Government state publicly that ... they will be given every help to enter Britain and acquire British nationality.
Note that some verbs are normally used to report on what was said or done, for example it would be odd to say:
I encourage you to get a job.
Instead, you would be more likely to say something like:
I recommend that you should get a job.
However, when reporting what happened, it would be perfectly acceptable to say:
I encouraged her to get a job.
Note the difference in meaning between encourage and persuade. In the example above, the meaning is that you tried to persuade her, but it is not clear whether you succeeded in your attempt; however, if you say:
I persuaded her to get a job
then the meaning conveyed is that you were successful, and she did in fact find a job.
Introduction
Indicating suggested obligation
