In Direct objects^x, Constructions^x

Hello, Pastel. Almost every sentence (not all of them) that contains a direct object can be turned into the passive voice. However, not every possible passive construction is actually used in English. Some tenses -such as the future perfect progressive- seldom, if ever, are used in passive...

Hello, Lupa You are right about the first two pairs of sentences. Sentences "b" in both pairs have ergative verbs. You posted that "dinner is cooking" is a passive sentence. The sentence has passive meaning (because dinner cannot be cooking itself) but it is not a passive construction. The...

Hello, Guest. Your first sentence is ugly to analyse! ~L~ "Being coined" is the predicate of the noun phrase "the term 'Henmania'", and both constructions together, "the term Henmania being coined", is the direct object of "led to". I think the sentence is somewhat difficult to analyse...

Hi, Pastel "The same thing occurred during the country's previous two cycical recoveries, when increased government spending, tax cuts and exports provided the fuel for rallies that proved to be short-lived." 1. You're not just on the right track; you're 100% right in that "increased" is a...

Hello, Daniel There is an explanation for the existence of sentences like "I'm given water" which is, by the way, grammatically correct. As has been explained here, the first you need in order for a sentence in the passive voice to be possible is a transitive verb and its direct object. You...

Hello, Kenduong In your question, you mentio "to-infinitive + adverb", yet in your examples the construction is "to + infinitive + adverb" (this is called in English "split infinitive" since the particle "to2 and the main part of the verb are separeted by an adverb). You can use an adverb after...

Hi, Malory. 1. "Preserving rare and valuable books and documents is one of the challenges FACING THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS." The construction in capital letters is a participial clause (present participial); it functions as post modifier of "challenges". It is what's also called a "reduced...