Government as the type of syntactic relations between words

In this article we give consideration to one of the syntactic relations of the phrase constituents - government. Government is a subordinate relation, where subordinate word should be declined in cases according to a head-word. This rule often works but there are some exceptions like in any other rules. You should know these exceptions in order to make your phrases coordinate and your speech and writing grammatically correct.

One of the most common mistakes is the usage of the word "вспомнить" (to recall/remember) instead of "напомнить" (to remind), when the structure is written as "вспомнить вам". The rule states: in the first case, the verb can have only subordinate word in accusative case (e.g. "вспомнить дорогу" - to remember the way), and in the second case, the verb can have a subordinate word as in the accusative case ("напомнить прошлое" - to remind the past), as in the dative one ("напомнить другу" - to remind a friend).

These mistakes are usually made in the usage of verbs describing the process of speech, thinking and feeling. The second option of a mistake: "Доказать о чем-то" (literally - to prove about something). You can use with the verb "доказывать" (to prove) only the combination with the subordinate word in the accusative and dative cases (доказать (что?) вину - to prove (what?) guilt; доказать (кому?) обществу - to prove to (what?) society). Another type of mistake takes place when we want to describe what we have seen: "любоваться на закат", this mistake is connected with the customary structure "смотреть на что-то" - to watch something. The correct option is "любоваться закатом" (to enjoy the sunset).

Memorize several structures which have common meanings but are different grammatically:

Удивляться смелости, восхищаться смелостью - To be surprised by courage, to be delighted with courage.
Предостеречь от опасности, предупредить об опасности - To warn against danger, to warn about danger.
Добраться до дома, подъехать к дому - To reach home, to drive up to a house.
Отчитаться о работе, ответить за работу - To give a report on the work, to be responsible for work.
Отзыв о фильме, рецензия на фильм - Comment on a movie, a movie review.
Привычный для него, знакомый ему - Customary for him, familiar to him.