Being In A Coma

Could you please be so kind as to read this and give your opinion? "Professor Freelove has been in a ... of being. Although COMATOSE is a state of being, being IN A COMA is not. Therefore, the verb is intransitive.

We can also say "in a trance", "in a stupor", "in a funny mood" or even "in a tizzy(1)". I can't think of adjectives for those states that match "in a coma - comatose".
I don't see how "in a coma" can indicate a location and not a state.

Owain
(1) In a tizzy - state of nervous excitement or confusion; a dither.

Hi, Could you please be so kind as to read this and give your opinion? "Professor Freelove has been in ... of being. Although COMATOSE is a state of being, being IN A COMA is not. Therefore, the verb is intransitive.

Sorry, the above three sentences should have been in quotes, too. It is what the university says.

Hi, Could you please be so kind as to read ... IN A COMA is not. Therefore, the verb is intransitive.

Sorry, the above three sentences should have been in quotes, too. It is what the university says.

It is from a University in U.S.A. that gives an "on-line guide to grammar, style and punctuation for journalists". Thanks a lot in advance. Irma.

Excuse me, Sir, where is the next coma?
Seriuosly, "in a coma" seems to me similar to "in a hurry". Now, "in a hurry" is most certainly not a location, is it?
Do you happen to have the URL if the site?

Could you please be so kind as to read this ... IN A COMA is not. Therefore, the verb is intransitive.

We can also say "in a trance", "in a stupor", "in a funny mood" or even "in a tizzy(1)". I ... "in a coma - comatose". I don't see how "in a coma" can indicate a location and not a state.

I think the same, but I wanted to know from native speakers if there was a possibility I didn't take into account. As this is a course from a University you never imagine to have these sort of mistakes...

Thanks for your comment Owain.
Irma.

Excuse me, Sir, where is the next coma? Seriuosly, "in a coma" seems to me similar to "in a hurry". Now, "in a hurry" is most certainly not a location, is it? Do you happen to have the URL if the site?

Here you have:
http://grammar.uoregon.edu/verbs/linking.html
and thanks for your comment :-)
Irma.

Excuse me, Sir, where is the next coma? Seriuosly, ... Do you happen to have the URL if the site?

Here you have: http://grammar.uoregon.edu/verbs/linking.html and thanks for your comment :-) Irma.

Your welcome!
Sometimes I'm a little slow on the uptake. Now I understand that the "location-indication" serves just as an explanation for the fact that the verb (to be) is intransivite, in this case.
Actually, I don't think this site shows bad English, they just give funny explanations.

"Irma" wrote We can also say "in a trance", "in ... a coma" can indicate a location and not a state.

I think the same, but I wanted to know from native speakers if there was a possibility I didn't take into account. As this is a course from a University you never imagine to have these sort of mistakes...

Given that the first example is:
"The test indicate that Sarah is a genius.",
it doesn't inspire confidence.

Ray.

Hi, Could you please be so kind as to read this and give your opinion? "Professor Freelove has been in ... intransitive. It is from a University in U.S.A. that gives an "on-line guide to grammar, style and punctuation for journalists".

I've had a looki at the site that this example comes from and I must say that I find the "grammatical" explanations a little bit strange - cerainly the terminology is a bit unusual and I have the impression that the person running this site isn't particularly well-versed in the formal study of grammar.
On the example above, I agree with the others who commented taht "in a coma2 refers to a state - in this case a physical state, but similar structures, e.g. "in a hurry" or "in a tizzy", can refer to mental states, too.
Regards, Einde O'Callaghan