Monday, December 26, 2022

to accustom someone to do something?



 

These two slogans from the Agriculture, Fisheries, and Conservation Department are using the verb 'accustom' (1) in the Active Voice, and (2) in the structure 'to accustom someone to do something'. 

This reminds me of another usage error which was once quite common in Hong Kong: 'to look forward to do something', as in 'I look forward to see you soon.' This error is less common now. But most of the time, teachers simply tell students that after 'look forward to', they have to use the -ING form, as if it is just an arbitrary case. 

But there is also semantics behind. We look forward to something, and that's why the -ING form is used if what we look forward to is represented by a verb phrase. Similarly, we do not accustom someone to do something. The semantics behind is that 'we accustom someone to something', which is often expressed in the Passive Voice. 


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