recommend that you do not

[joham]

Do native speakers (especially in BrE) say 'I recommend that you do not / don't play online games like that?' (instead of 'should not' ) in informal situations? I know grammar books always tell us to use the 'should not do' or simply 'not do' construction in sentences like this. But I wonder how it is in everyday conversation.

My question comes from reading Martin Hewings' Cambridge Advanced Grammar in Use:
In less formal contexts we can use ordinary tenses instead of the subjunctive. Compare:
• They recommended that he should give up writing.
• They recommended that he give up writing, (more formal)
• They recommended that he gives up writing, (less formal)

Thank you in advance.

 

[hoang21anh]

I think that your sentence is correct. It would sounds more natural to say like that!

 

[TheParser]

Do native speakers (especially in BrE) say 'I recommend that you do not / don't play online games like that?' (instead of 'should not' ) in informal situations? I know grammar books always tell us to use the 'should not do' or simply 'not do' construction in sentences like this. But I wonder how it is in everyday conversation.

My question comes from reading Martin Hewings' Cambridge Advanced Grammar in Use:
In less formal contexts we can use ordinary tenses instead of the subjunctive. Compare:
• They recommended that he should give up writing.
• They recommended that he give up writing, (more formal)
• They recommended that he gives up writing, (less formal)

Thank you in advance.

********** NOT A TEACHER **********

Hello, Joham.

(1) May I give you my two cents(' worth)?

(2) I am an old man, so the only correct sentences for me are:

(a) I recommend that Tom eat more vegetables. (I recommend that you eat more vegetables.)


(b) I recommend that Tom not eat so much sugar. (I recommend that you not eat so much sugar.)

*****

I understand that the following are also good "American":

(c) I recommend that Tom should eat....(I recommend that you should eat....)

(d) I recommend that Tom should not eat....(I recommend that you should not eat....)

Personally, I do not feel comfortable with (c) and (d).

*****

(e) I recommend that Tom eats more vegetables. (I recommend that you eat more vegetables.)

(f) I recommend that Tom doesn't eat so much sugar. (I recommend that you do not eat so much sugar.)

Do I think that many (most?) younger (and maybe not so young) Americans are beginning to use (e) and (f)? YES, I do.

*****

Do I recommend that you use (e) and (f)? NO, I do not. I am guessing

that you are a young person who wants to learn "correct" English because

it will certainly continue for some time to be the international language.

I strongly recommend that you use the so-called subjunctive (sentences

a & b) if you have decided to choose American English as your model. Of

course, if sentences e & f become "correct" American English during your

lifetime, then you can easily change. Many people will judge you by the

way you speak (and write).

Thank you