港人常犯文法錯誤系列2：xxx is recommended to

Recommend這個字很複雜。究竟解「建議」時，可否說I recommend you to do something呢？

劍橋沒有這種例子。雖然它有一個疑似例子：

The headmistress agreed to recommend the teachers' proposals to the school governors

但留意，上面的例句中的recommend解推薦，非「建議」。

朗文字典清楚好多，它將兩種意思分開。作「建議」時，recommend跟gerund或that clause。

令我驚訝的是，我從Stack討論區睇到，牛津竟然話可以recommend somebody to do something，並附有例句：

We'd recommend you to book your flight early.

但無論如何，即使I recommend you to do something是對，I suggest you to do something必是錯的。

為什麼?

因為英文有些動詞要用虛擬語氣,如decide (決定) , ask (要求) , insist (堅持),order (命令) , prefer (願意) , propose (提议) , recommend(推荐、建议) , require (要求) , request (请求),suggest(建議), desire(希望得到)。所謂虛擬語氣，即表示講嘅野，未係正式確定的。有兩種方法：美式的，用原形動詞，例如：

I demanded that John go to hospital at once.

They insisted that the chief executive officer resign. 

Would you prefer that he start to work on Monday instead of on Tuesday?

I suggest that mother come with you.

另一方法係英式的，採用should+infinitive, 如

I demanded that John should go to hospital at once.

They insisted that the chief executive officer should resign. 

Would you prefer that he should start to work on Monday instead of on Tuesday?

I suggest that mother should come with you.

(圖片取自: http://tw.blog.voicetube.com/2015/05/26/recommend-sleep-%E9%80%99%E5%8F%A5%E5%AD%90%E9%8C%AF%E5%9C%A8%E5%93%AA%EF%BC%9F%EF%BC%9F%EF%BC%9F%E5%BF%AB%E4%BE%86%E6%AD%A3%E7%A2%BA%E5%AD%B8%E7%BF%92%E5%A6%82%E4%BD%95%E8%A1%A8)