[Grammar] encouraged to or encourage should?

[Floor Koppejan]

Dear all,

I am new to this forum and this is my first question. I am a Dutch teacher of English and currently we're having a debate about a multiple-choice question in a placement test.

The sentence reads The teacher encouraged her students .............. to an English pen-friend.

The options are: A should write B write C wrote D to write


I'd say the correct answer is D. The Key however suggests A as the correct answer. My colleagues agree on D being right, but some of them are convinced that A is right as well. I don't think so, but I find it difficult to argue why.

"The teacher encouraged her students should write to an English pen-friend." comes across as unnatural to me. If The teacher encouraged would be replaced byThat it could work as an answer to a question such as What did Ms Peterson tell you? That her students should write to an English pen-friend.

Am I right in thinking this, and if so, can anyone of you tell me why?

Kind regards,

Floor

 

[GoesStation]

Welcome to the forum! Only D is possible. I'm afraid I can't think of a way to explain why, but I'm confident a member better versed in grammar will jump in.

 

[teechar]

Hello Floor Koppejan, and welcome to the forum.

There are various verb patterns in English, and one common one is that some verbs are followed by the full infinitive (to+verb). "Encourage" is one such verb. You are absolutely right that the only correct answer in that question is "D"; "A" is definitely wrong.

Take a look at the following links, and you can also search for similar threads on this forum.

https://www.grammaring.com/verb-object-to-infinitive
https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/english-grammar-reference/verbs-followed-infinitive