promising to do something

USAGE SUMMARY

"promising to do something" is correct and usable in written English.
It is used to describe a situation in which a person has agreed to do something in the future. For example, "He promised to pick me up at 7 o'clock."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

14 human-written examples

But not to fear: the Welsh Rugby Union's chief executive, Roger Lewis, is promising to do something to stop everyone leaving any minute now.

The Guardian - Sport

The year 2012 looks a lot like 2008: high unemployment, a candidate named Obama promising to do something about high unemployment, and the Giants beating the Patriots in the Super Bowl.

The New York Times

With the constant attacks on our pensions, our unions, our health care, our public schools, etc, Bernie is the only candidate that is promising to do something for us: free college, reduction in student loans, health care for all, etc.

The Guardian

By vowing to clean up the streets and to reduce crime sharply, Giuliani and his police commissioner, William Bratton, were promising to do something that New Yorkers, and experts, were not really convinced could be done.

The New York Times - Magazine

"To them I say, 'Why?'" The obvious answers were that he'd been promising to do something very similar for the past four years and hadn't got round to it and that all the other EU leaders had said it was a nonsense.

The Guardian

Promising to do something and then not carrying it out.

BBC

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

Citigroup, after all, was merely promising not to do something that the law already forbids.

The New York Times

"The cuts are important but there's a fair bit of people promising not to do something that they're not doing anyway," said Jim Sutton, a New Zealand delegate.

The New York Times

Mr Cramer, however, worries that the differences will provide opportunities for factory owners to wriggle out of complying.Foreign firms have been promising for around 20 years to do something about Bangladesh's dangerous factories, to little effect.

The Economist

Both promising and communicating one's intention to do something, according to Reinach, belong to the category of what he calls "spontaneous" acts, i.e. acts which involve a subject's bringing something about within his own psychic sphere, as contrasted with passive experiences of, say, feeling a pain or hearing an explosion (1913, p. 706, Eng. p. 18).

SEP

They have said he should also use his considerable leverage to do something he has been promising for years: to reform the campaign financing system so big money no longer taints state elections.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "promising to do something", ensure that the action you are committing to is specific and achievable to maintain credibility and avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "promising to do something" when you are unsure of your ability to fulfill the commitment. Over-promising can damage trust and reputation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "promising to do something" functions as a verbal phrase expressing a commitment or intention to perform a future action. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable form in written English. It typically acts as part of a larger sentence structure, indicating what someone has pledged to undertake.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

19%

Wiki

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

9%

Reference

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "promising to do something" is a commonly used and grammatically sound phrase to express a commitment to future action. According to Ludwig AI, the expression is correct and usable in written English. It's found frequently in news and media, scientific publications, and wiki articles. While versatile, tailoring the phrase to the specific context is crucial; more formal settings might benefit from stronger alternatives like "pledging to act" or "committing to take action". Ensuring clarity and feasibility of the promised action is vital for maintaining credibility. Avoid over-promising to prevent damaging trust.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

pledging to act

Replaces "promising" with "pledging" and "do something" with "act", emphasizing a more formal commitment.

committing to take action

Substitutes "promising" with "committing" and specifies "take action" instead of "do something", highlighting a firm decision.

assuring action will be taken

Changes the structure to a passive assurance, rather than an active promise, focusing on the outcome.

vowing to undertake something

Replaces "promising" with "vowing" and uses "undertake something" for a more determined commitment.

guaranteeing to perform a task

Emphasizes a guarantee rather than a promise, focusing on the completion of a specific task.

undertaking to execute something

Uses "undertaking" to convey a sense of responsibility and commitment to "execute something".

offering to help

Shifts the focus to offering assistance, rather than a direct promise of action, implying a willingness to contribute.

agreeing to participate

Focuses on agreeing to be involved, instead of promising a specific action, suggesting collaboration.

consenting to intervene

Highlights the act of intervening, implying a proactive approach to address a situation.

planning to implement a solution

Focuses on the intention to implement a solution, shifting from a promise to a plan of action.

FAQs

How can I use "promising to do something" in a sentence?

You can use "promising to do something" to indicate a commitment to perform an action. For example, "The politician is promising to lower taxes if elected."

What are some alternatives to "promising to do something"?

You can use alternatives like "pledging to act", "committing to take action", or "assuring action will be taken" depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "promising to do something" and "vowing to do something"?

"Promising to do something" generally implies a commitment, while "vowing to undertake something" suggests a more solemn or determined pledge.

When is it appropriate to use "promising to do something" in formal writing?

It is appropriate to use "promising to do something" in formal writing when conveying a clear and reliable commitment to perform a specific action. However, consider using stronger alternatives like "guaranteeing to perform a task" for emphasis.