can prompt be used this way

[alpacinou]

Do we use prompt only when there is "force" or "unwillingness" involved?

Is it correct to use it this way?

My interest in history, prompted me to choose history as the major for my bachelor's degree studies.

What about the rest of the sentence?

 

[jutfrank]

It's a big 'no' to the first question.

As for your sentence, I personally don't think it's quite right. I don't think one's interest can prompt one to take a course of action. It's best to think about an action or event prompting another action or event.

I realise you might think I'm sometimes too picky with your accuracy of vocabulary use, but that's what you want, right? Please don't tell me that you've been able to find other writers who have also used the word less than ideally.

The comma is incontrovertibly wrong, by the way.

 

[alpacinou]

It's a big 'no' to the first question.

As for your sentence, I personally don't think it's quite right. I don't think one's interest can prompt one to take a course of action. It's best to think about an action or event prompting another action or event.

I realise you might think I'm sometimes too picky with your accuracy of vocabulary use, but that's what you want, right? Please don't tell me that you've been able to find other writers who have also used the word less than ideally.

The comma is incontrovertibly wrong, by the way.

I appreciate your being picky. You are right. It's what I want.

The comma was a typo.

So, how should I write it? Is prompt the only problem? What other verb can I use?

My interest in history.....me to choose history as the major for my bachelor's degree studies at Harvard.

 

[jutfrank]

The first word I thought of was led.

The repetition of history makes the sentence a bit of an odd thing to say, don't you think? You're basically saying that you chose to study history because you found it interesting. If that's all you mean, there are simpler and better ways to express the thought, like this:

I chose History as my major because I've always been interested in it.

Otherwise, your original sentence would make better sense if you modified it. Like this, for example:

My interest in history led me to apply for a place on a university course.
My interest in history led me to become a researcher at my local library.

If you want to learn how to use prompt more accurately, I suggest you find some authentic examples of use. You're welcome to post them here if you'd like our evaluation of how well they serve as examples.

 

[alpacinou]

The first word I thought of was led.

The repetition of history makes the sentence a bit of an odd thing to say, don't you think? You're basically saying that you chose to study history because you found it interesting. If that's all you mean, there are simpler and better ways to express the thought, like this:

I chose History as my major because I've always been interested in it.

Otherwise, your original sentence would make better sense if you modified it. Like this, for example:

My interest in history led me to apply for a place on a university course.
My interest in history led me to become a researcher at my local library.

If you want to learn how to use prompt more accurately, I suggest you find some authentic examples of use. You're welcome to post them here if you'd like our evaluation of how well they serve as examples.

I hope your stay in the Editing and Writing section won't prove to be fleeting.

 

[jutfrank]

Thank you. Your kind expression of appreciation prompts me to stay here for a while longer, at least.

 

[Tarheel]

The word I thought of was inspired, but jutfrank didn't use it. :-(

 

[jutfrank]

The word I thought of was inspired, but jutfrank didn't use it. :-(

That's much better than my suggestion of led! Nice.

 

[tedmc]

made me choose history
drove/motivated/caused/spurred/propelled me to choose history