be devoted to do or doing?

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jiamajia

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I know you can say:

I am committed to do something or to doing something.

Does the verb devote have the same leeway?
 

emsr2d2

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I know you can say:

I am committed to do something or to doing something.

Does the verb devote have the same leeway?

I am committed to doing something.
I am committed to learning English.
I am committed to playing tennis every week.

We don't normally use "doing" after "devote".

I'm devoted to my husband.
I'm devoted to my dog.

However, we might use verb+ing after it:

I'm devoted to acting.

Remember, you can also "devote time" to something.

I'm going to devote five hours a week to learning Spanish.
 

jiamajia

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I am committed to doing something.
I am committed to learning English.
I am committed to playing tennis every week.

We don't normally use "doing" after "devote".

I'm devoted to my husband.
I'm devoted to my dog.

However, we might use verb+ing after it:

I'm devoted to acting.

Remember, you can also "devote time" to something.

I'm going to devote five hours a week to learning Spanish.

The following is an ad promoting a school for training English teachers:

ATTI is fuelled by its passion to inspire others to teach, travel, share and learn. Through its certification program, ATTI is devoted to help people learn the skills of language teaching and to achieve their goals of teaching and traveling.

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It uses is devoted to help.... . Does it sound ok to you?
 

emsr2d2

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The following is an ad promoting a school for training English teachers:

ATTI is fuelled by its passion to inspire others to teach, travel, share and learn. Through its certification program, ATTI is devoted to help people learn the skills of language teaching and to achieve their goals of teaching and traveling.

------------------------
It uses is devoted to help.... . Does it sound ok to you?

No. ATTI is devoted to helping people learn....
 

Barb_D

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No, that should be devoted to helping.
 

kfredson

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The following is an ad promoting a school for training English teachers:

ATTI is fuelled by its passion to inspire others to teach, travel, share and learn. Through its certification program, ATTI is devoted to help people learn the skills of language teaching and to achieve their goals of teaching and traveling.

------------------------
It uses is devoted to help.... . Does it sound ok to you?

Yes, they are devoted to helping. And, furthermore, the "to" should be removed before "achieve." They are devoted to helping people learn and [STRIKE]to [/STRIKE]achieve.

So how much of a shadow does this place over their ability to train teachers? Not a great deal, I would say. I'm sure there are dynamic, skillful language teachers who nevertheless allow the odd grammatical error to sneak in. And I'm sure that there are grammar scholars who make terrible language teachers.
 

jiamajia

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Yes, they are devoted to helping. And, furthermore, the "to" should be removed before "achieve." They are devoted to helping people learn and [STRIKE]to [/STRIKE]achieve.

So how much of a shadow does this place over their ability to train teachers? Not a great deal, I would say. I'm sure there are dynamic, skillful language teachers who nevertheless allow the odd grammatical error to sneak in. And I'm sure that there are grammar scholars who make terrible language teachers.

It is more like a business, I think.

The original website is here:
atti tesol
 

jiamajia

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By the way, how about be committed to do something?

My friend emsr2d2 seems to be not approving of the usage.

Any other opinions, please? Thank you all.
 

Barb_D

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I agree. Committed to doing something, not "to do."
 

jiamajia

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I agree. Committed to doing something, not "to do."


I feel a bit puzzled, for I have found this line on NY Times site, which reads:
(4th paragraph)
''In the past there have been walls of divide between Mexico and the United States,'' Mr. Bush said to a crowd of a few thousand people, mostly Mexicans. ''We must, we must be committed to raise the bridges of trade and friendship and freedom.''

Although it is a quote from President Bush, it seems the NY Times has taken it as an acceptable usage.

http://www.nytimes.com/2000/04/25/u...-respect-bush-crosses-bridge-into-mexico.html
 

Offroad

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Very interesting.

Although many would not say 'committed to do', the COCA states that a few would. The confusing part is that it can not be a typo.

committed to do - 33 entries
committed to doing - 102 entries.

'committe to' got 7266 entries. Do you know what I mean?
 

jiamajia

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Very interesting.

Although many would not say 'committed to do', the COCA states that a few would. The confusing part is that it can not be a typo.

committed to do - 33 entries
committed to doing - 102 entries.

'committe to' got 7266 entries. Do you know what I mean?

No, I don't, except that 'be committed to + gerund' is on the safe side.
 

emsr2d2

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I feel a bit puzzled, for I have found this line on NY Times site, which reads:
(4th paragraph)
''In the past there have been walls of divide between Mexico and the United States,'' Mr. Bush said to a crowd of a few thousand people, mostly Mexicans. ''We must, we must be committed to raise the bridges of trade and friendship and freedom.''

Although it is a quote from President Bush, it seems the NY Times has taken it as an acceptable usage.

1) It was said by George Bush!! That speaks for itself!

2) It's a direct quote, therefore the NY Times can't change it. Reporting it doesn't mean they accept it as good usage. They have to report exactly what was said, if reporting it as direct speech.
 
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