assign somebody to do something

[sunsunmoon]

This week I assigned my students to write a notice based on the following situation:
(From http://www.usingenglish.com/forum/ask-teacher/155516-notice-english-speech-contest.html)

Is to write incorrect but is "the task of writing" correct? The example below makes me think that to write is correct too?

▪ They assigned me the job of cleaning the equipment. = They assigned the job of cleaning the equipment to me. = They assigned me to clean the equipment.
(From http://www.learnersdictionary.com/search/assign)

[Bennevis]

All three are correct.

[sunsunmoon]

Hello emsr2d2,


Could I ask why you've changed "to write" into "the task of writing"? I'm just curious whether your version sounds better.

[emsr2d2]

Hello emsr2d2,


Could I ask why you've changed "to write" into "the task of writing"? I'm just curious whether your version sounds better.

I think this refers back to a different thread but if I remember rightly you wrote "I have assigned my students to write..." and I changed it to "I have assigned my students the task of writing..."

In my opinion, you don't "assign + verb".

I personally disagree with bennevis that "They assigned me to clean the equipment" is correct. I would have changed that to "They assigned me to the equipment-cleaning team" or "They assigned me the task of cleaning the equipment".

[Bennevis]

I think this refers back to a different thread but if I remember rightly you wrote "I have assigned my students to write..." and I changed it to "I have assigned my students the task of writing..."

In my opinion, you don't "assign + verb".

I personally disagree with bennevis that "They assigned me to clean the equipment" is correct. I would have changed that to "They assigned me to the equipment-cleaning team" or "They assigned me the task of cleaning the equipment".

It's actually not me you disagree with. It's the creators of that dictionary. I presume they were born in an English-speaking country. Have you followed the link above?

[Bennevis]

The following year the New Yorker assigned him to write about the Grand Ole Opry, which inspired him to put together his own show and the first A Prairie Home Companion was broadcast later that year.

Nicholas Wroe
The Guardian, Saturday 6 March 2004

Is it possible you just didn't know we could say it this way?

[emsr2d2]

The following year the New Yorker assigned him to write about the Grand Ole Opry, which inspired him to put together his own show and the first A Prairie Home Companion was broadcast later that year.

Nicholas Wroe
The Guardian, Saturday 6 March 2004

Is it possible you just didn't know we could say it this way?

Anything's possible and I have always been more of a "use of English" teacher than anything else, that is to say, I teach what is most commonly used in day-to-day English by the majority of English speakers.

I apologise for having said I disagreed with you. I was reading these posts on my phone and the links don't show up, it simply appeared that you had written "All three are correct".

[Bennevis]

to assign

to provide a person for a particular task or position
assign somebody (to something/as something) They've assigned their best man to the job.
assign somebody to do something
British forces have been assigned to help with peacekeeping.

You don't have to apologize. I do notice that in dictionaries the passive voice is used in such cases.