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Nkspb Posted 10 years ago
Grammar
Active verbs with passive meaning
Hello! Help me, please.
Sometimes I encounter usage cases when an active verb conveys passive meaning. I was trying to find out how such a category of verbs is called and example verbs, but couldn't. Here is an example:
"The application is installing" (should be "is being installed" in my opinion)
Is it grammatical or is just done to simplify the sentence? Or maybe there is such a category of verbs that can be used with passive meaning in their active form? Then how is it called?
Thanks!
Sometimes I encounter usage cases when an active verb conveys passive meaning. I was trying to find out how such a category of verbs is called and example verbs, but couldn't. Here is an example:
"The application is installing" (should be "is being installed" in my opinion)
Is it grammatical or is just done to simplify the sentence? Or maybe there is such a category of verbs that can be used with passive meaning in their active form? Then how is it called?
Thanks!
Top answer
It could be "ergative" verb that you are thinking of. g. "the window broke" / "the window was broken").
- It could be "ergative" verb that you are thinking of.
- g.
- "the window broke" / "the window was broken").
- I think "install" is a less clear-cut or obvious case, but I would accept "The application is installing".
- You cannot do it with any arbitrary transitive verb.
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1 Answers
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It could be "ergative" verb that you are thinking of. The kind of use that you are talking about is entirely correct and grammatical when applied to a suitable verb (e.g. "the window broke" / "the window was broken"). I think "install" is a less clear-cut or obvious case, but I would accept "The application is installing". You cannot do it with any arbitrary transitive verb.
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