encourage doing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'encourage doing' is not correct and is not usable in written English.
You can use the phrase 'encourage to do' instead. For example: Management should encourage employees to strive for excellence.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

That is to say, Julia Child would encourage doing away with the fuss of right and wrong, and really asking oneself to take seriously the job of becoming a committed and ecumenical taster, a liver of the life of the table.

The New Yorker

Either way while I encourage doing that, at some point you do have to say, "I'm going to commit to this and quit my paycheck".

TechCrunch

We'd encourage doing so.

Vice

I encourage doing static back on a relatively hard surface.

Huffington Post

Encourage doing something else and make sure all shared activities aren't television.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

It encourages doing good deeds and self-reliance.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The new video-game world encourages doing and acting and not really thinking.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The effect of participating in a group contributed to well being and encouraged doing physical exercises regularly.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

However, remember that "encouraging" does not mean the same as "nagging".

WikiHow

"No I'm not!" He did encourage Johnson, didn't he? "I'm encouraging them all".

The Guardian

Then he supplied pushpins, encouraging do-it-yourself commemoration.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Always use "encourage someone to do something" instead of "encourage doing" to ensure grammatical correctness. For example: "I encourage you to do your research."

Common error

The verb "encourage" typically requires an infinitive (to + verb) rather than a gerund (-ing form). Saying "encourage to do" is grammatically correct, while "encourage doing" is not.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "encourage doing" functions incorrectly as it attempts to combine a transitive verb with a gerund. The correct usage, as noted by Ludwig AI, requires an infinitive: "encourage to do". This construction aims to prompt or motivate someone towards a specific action.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Wiki

33%

Science

22%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "encourage doing" appears in various sources, including news and media, it is grammatically incorrect. As highlighted by Ludwig AI, the correct form is "encourage to do". This ensures clear and accurate communication. Using the infinitive form maintains grammatical integrity and aligns with standard English usage. Be sure to favor "encourage someone to do something" in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

encourage to do

Replaces the gerund with an infinitive, which is grammatically correct.

urge to do

Suggests a stronger, more insistent form of encouragement.

motivate to do

Focuses on providing an incentive to act.

inspire to do

Implies sparking creativity or enthusiasm for the action.

advocate doing

Suggests publicly supporting or recommending an action.

promote doing

Highlights the act of raising awareness and support for an action.

support doing

Focuses on providing assistance and resources to facilitate an action.

foster doing

Suggests nurturing and developing an action over time.

stimulate to do

Emphasizes the act of triggering or initiating an action.

incentivize doing

Highlights the use of rewards or benefits to encourage an action.

FAQs

Is it grammatically correct to say "encourage doing"?

No, the grammatically correct form is "encourage to do". The verb "encourage" is typically followed by an infinitive phrase, not a gerund.

What's the difference between "encourage to do" and "urge to do"?

"Encourage to do" implies gentle persuasion, while "urge to do" suggests a stronger, more insistent prompting. You can use alternatives like "urge to do" depending on the context.

How can I use "encourage to do" in a sentence?

Use "encourage to do" to suggest that someone should perform an action. For example: "The coach encouraged the team to practice harder."

What are some alternatives to "encourage to do"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "motivate to do", "inspire to do", or "support doing" to convey similar meanings.