The English Oracle

Is "Please to" proper English?

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Chapters
00:00 Is &Quot;Please To&Quot; Proper English?
00:17 Answer 1 Score 4
00:32 Answer 2 Score 18
00:49 Answer 3 Score 12
01:08 Answer 4 Score 5
01:54 Thank you

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Full question
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Tags
#grammaticality

#avk47



ANSWER 1

Score 18


Using please to help me instead of please help me is incorrect. However, the following examples are correct:

Help me, please, to do my homework.

I am pleased to help you.

We use "please" to make a request more polite.




ANSWER 2

Score 12


While other answers are technically correct in that it is not proper UK English, it appears to be a very common form in Indian English.

In UK English I lean to being prescriptive, in other Englishes I lean to being descriptive.




ANSWER 3

Score 5


I have noticed that sentences starting with a [Marker] + to + Infinitive pattern are very common in Asian Englishes, like some Wh-Questions like ones often posed here on ELU.SE

  • How to distinguish imperfect from aorist?
  • When to use gerundive?

or truncated predicate adjectives

  • OK to use "will" in inchoative clauses?
  • Incorrect to use apostrophe's like this?

etc. I think the pattern may be widespread in speech, and thence in informal writing. But I haven't been in Asia observing speech patterns for a long time.

In any event,

  • Please to remove shoes.

is just more of the same pattern.

(I could go on about what that may mean for the future of to and other markers but I forbear.)




ANSWER 4

Score 4


You're right; it isn't necessary nor is it proper English. It's extraneous.

However, I might be pleased to meet you or pleased to help you or pleased to retweet that for you.