A recommendation <in doing / to do> something

[Tenacious Learner]

Hello teachers,
Is one more formal that the other?
a) We can use should in affirmative sentences to express a recommendation in doing something in the present or future.
b) We can use should in affirmative sentences to express a recommendation to do something in the present or future.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Scholiast]

Greetings

It is not a question of different levels of formality: sentence (a) does not work at all, because with "recommend" an infinitive with "to---" is needed.
And as a matter of personal stylistic preference, I find (b), though understandable, ugly. With the abstract noun "recommendation" I would find more elegant something like "...that we do xyz".

Σ

 

[Tenacious Learner]

Greetings

It is not a question of different levels of formality: sentence (a) does not work at all, because with "recommend" an infinitive with "to---" is needed.
And as a matter of personal stylistic preference, I find (b), though understandable, ugly. With the abstract noun "recommendation" I would find more elegant something like "...that we do xyz".Σ

Hello Scholiast,
Thank you for your reply.
Is this what you mean?
We can use should in affirmative sentences to express a recommendation that we do something in the present or future.

TL

 

[Scholiast]

Greetings again

Yes, TL, that is what I meant - not, however, that "recommendation to do..." would be incorrect. It's just one of my own stylistic pedantries.

In the context, however, one would expect the word "should" to appear in speech-marks.

Σ

 

[Tenacious Learner]

Greetings again

Yes, TL, that is what I meant - not, however, that "recommendation to do..." would be incorrect. It's just one of my own stylistic pedantries.

In the context, however, one would expect the word "should" to appear in speech-marks.

Hello Scholiast,
Thank you for your reply and recommendations.
Then it can be like this; right?
a) We can use "should" in affirmative sentences to express a recommendation that we do something in the present or future.
b) We can use should in affirmative sentences to express a recommendation that we do something in the present or future.

TL

 

[Scholiast]

Greetings once more

Both these latest formulations are fine. Which of the two is "correct" would depend on the house-style of the publisher, journal, newspaper or whatever editorial channel is relevant.

Strangely - and unfortunately - publishing houses seem reluctant to put into the public domain their specific and particular rules (except The Economist, which I warmly recommend).

You need to tell the world more about for whom this sentence and its context are intended.

Σ

 

[Tenacious Learner]

Greetings once more

Both these latest formulations are fine. Which of the two is "correct" would depend on the house-style of the publisher, journal, newspaper or whatever editorial channel is relevant.

Strangely - and unfortunately - publishing houses seem reluctant to put into the public domain their specific and particular rules (except The Economist, which I warmly recommend).

You need to tell the world more about for whom this sentence and its context are intended.

Σ

Hello Scholiast,
Thank you for your recommendation.
I'm not so sure about the world, but at least to you I will; it is for my students.

TL