Vocabulary · Free lesson
Remember or remind: who needs the reminder?
You need to take your badge tomorrow. You can remember it yourself, or ask a friend to remind you.
Professor Scott MendozaThe short answer
“Remember to bring your badge” tells someone not to forget the task. “Remind me to bring my badge” asks someone to help me remember it. In the second pattern, put the person receiving the reminder after remind: remind me, her or us.
The person remembering and the person prompting may be different.
With remember to bring, the subject has the task to remember. With remind me to bring, someone prompts me and I have the task. Compare “I remembered to bring my badge” with “Leo reminded me to bring my badge.” The first says I did not forget; the second says Leo gave me a reminder. A reminder alone does not prove I brought it.
One task, two roles
Remember to bring your badge.
Please remind me to bring my badge.
Leo reminded me to bring my badge.
Remind me to bring does not mean remind me that I already brought it. The task is still something to remember to do.
Choose the role first
Name your task
I need to bring my badge.
Ask another person to prompt you
Please remind me ...
Add the action
Please remind me to bring my badge.
Try it now
Who remembers? Who prompts?
Read all answers and explanations
Tell someone not to forget their own badge. Which sentence fits?
Remember to bring your badge.Remember to gives the instruction directly. Remind needs the person being prompted in this pattern.
Ask a friend to help you remember to call the clinic.
Please remind me to call the clinic.Remind me to asks your friend to prompt you. Remember me to is not the task-reminder pattern.
“Nora reminded Ben to lock the door.” What does this sentence establish?
Nora gave Ben a reminder.Nora prompted Ben. The sentence does not tell us whether Ben later locked the door.
Put it into practice
Repair a reminder request
Ask your friend to remind YOU to send the form. Keep the request and the task.
Please remember me to send the form.
See a model answer
Please remind me to send the form.
The corrected request separates the friend giving the reminder from you doing the task.
A little more clarity
Common questions
A few useful details before you move on.
Can I use remind me about instead?
Yes, before the thing or event: remind me about the appointment. Use to plus a verb when naming an action.
Remind me about the appointment. / Remind me to book it.
Does a reminder prove the task was done?
No. Reminded reports the prompt. You need additional information to know whether the person completed the action.
She reminded me, but I still forgot.
Take it into your day
Remember to do your task; remind someone to do theirs.
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