Avoid someone (from) doing something (Is this form correct?) I know and understand the forms "to keep someone from doing something", "to prevent someone from doing something" and "to stop someone from

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Jordi Jorge

Avoid someone (from) doing something (Is this form correct?) I know and understand the forms "to keep someone from doing something", "to prevent someone from doing something" and "to stop someone from doing something." So I am wondering if it is possible and correct to construct a form like those using the verb "avoid." Form 1: Avoid someone from doing something Form 2: Avoid someone doing something Examples: 1. Laura wants to AVOID John FROM TELLING the truth. 2. Laura wants to AVOID John TELLING the truth. Is one of the two forms correct? If so, is that form common? Is the form using "AVOID" more common than the three ones I mentioned at the beginning of the post?

Jun 14, 2020 12:42 AM

Answers · 5

Not really — I’m afraid that that looks like a translation from Spanish (“evitar”). The other options you gave (keep, prevent, stop) work much better. The English verb that works the most often is probably “to prevent someone from doing something”. When we use the English word “avoid”, it usually translates better as “esquivar” or "tratar de no topar con".

June 14, 2020

I see. Thanks, William.

June 14, 2020

You could say: "Laura wants John to avoid telling the truth", But, you generally do not see situations where you would avoid someone else from doing something.

June 14, 2020

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