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Latest post Fri, Nov 11 2005 11:59 PM by Confused Again. 2 replies.
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Confused Again  +  157549 Fri, 11 Nov 05 05:58 PM

I need a few of the regulars out there to help me out again, could you please check what I've answered so far and tell me if I'm right?  If I'm wrong please simply point me in the right direction and I'll try again.

Unfortunately questions B and C have stumped me, so I'd be grateful if anyone could direct me to a grammar point which I can look up in a book.

Thanks for any help you can throw my way.

Why can you say……..?

A  'a car' but not 'a water'?

Because 'a car' is a countable noun, whereas ‘water’ is an uncountable noun.

B  'I'm having a bath' but not 'I'm having long hair'?

?

C  'He raised the prices' but not 'he rose the prices'?

?

D  'I waited' but not 'I goed'?

Because 'wait' is a regular verb, whereas 'go' is an irregular verb.

E  'He looked the word up' but not 'he looked the chimney up'?

Both examples contain multiword verbs.  The first example is known as a phrasal verb, the direct object ('the word') can go between the verb and the particle.  The second example is known as a prepositional verb and the direct object (‘the chimney’) can’t go between the verb and the particle.

Joined on Sat, Nov 5 2005
New Member 03
CalifJim  +  157559 Fri, 11 Nov 05 06:51 PM
B.  When 'to have' connects with an object to form an idiom which indicates action ("have a meal", "have a bath", "have a good time", "have a bad day"), then "have" is very roughly equivalent to "experience".  As such it is being used as a 'dynamic' verb and can take the progressive tenses.  In other cases "have" is simply a 'static' verb meaning "possess" ("have a house", "have long hair", "have work to do").  As such it cannot appear in the progressive tenses.

C.  "raise" is a transitive verb, so it can take an object; "rise" is intransitive and does not take an object.

CJ

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004
California
Veteran Member 22,383
"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche
Confused Again, 4 yr 10 days ago

Thanks for your help Calif Jim, it's very much appreciated.

CA

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