1
I promise I call you as soon as I arrive.
I promise I’ll call you as soon as I arrive.
I promise to call you as soon as I arrive.
Use promise + will when you say that you will definitely do something in the future: ‘I promise I’ll call you.’
You can also use promise to + infinitive: ‘I promise to call you.’
Do not use the present simple after promise when referring to a future action.
2
She promised helping me prepare for the exam.
She promised to help me prepare for the exam.
When promise is followed directly by another verb, use the to-infinitive: ‘promise to help’, ‘promise to pay’.
Do not use promise + -ing.
The negative form is promise not to + infinitive: ‘She promised not to tell anyone.’
3
My brother promised me to return the money on Friday.
My brother promised to return the money to me on Friday.
My brother promised me that he would return the money on Friday.
Do not put the person who receives the promise between promise and the to-infinitive.
Use promise to + infinitive: ‘He promised to return the money.’
If you mention the person immediately after promise, use promise + person + that: ‘He promised me that he would return the money.’
Check our grammar lesson on reporting verbs.
4
My parents promised to me a new bike if I passed the exam.
My parents promised me a new bike if I passed the exam.
My parents promised a new bike to me if I passed the exam.
Promise is one of the verbs that can have two objects: a person and a thing.
Use promise + person + thing: ‘They promised her a new phone.’
You can also use promise + thing + to + person: ‘They promised a new phone to her.’
Do not put to before the person when the person comes immediately after promise.
5
I did a promise to my parents that I would stop smoking.
I made a promise to my parents that I would stop smoking.
When promise is a noun, use make, not do: ‘make a promise’, ‘make someone a promise’.
Use keep a promise when you do what you said you would do: ‘She kept her promise and called me.’
Use break a promise when you do not do it: ‘He promised to help us, but he broke his promise.’