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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

ADJECTIVES

Hello

Can you tell me how to use purpose adjectives.

"I gave him a sleeping bag"

(sleeping= purpose adjective), apparently purpose adjectives normally start end with 'ing'.

http://www.learnenglish.de/grammar/adjectivetext.htm

Please confirm the following sentence

" I gave him a cough syrup "

What does this mean?

Cough - the purpose adjective?, which is before the noun Syrup?

It has no 'ing'

Thank you

Su
  

Top answer

Anonymous I gave him a cough syrup Perhaps a "coughing syrup" would be to make him cough. The "ing" verbals refer to the action. When the verb describes the action you want to prevent , the "ing" form doesn't seem to work so well.

— Avangi

  • Anonymous I gave him a cough syrup Perhaps a "coughing syrup" would be to make him cough.
  • The "ing" verbals refer to the action.
  • When the verb describes the action you want to prevent , the "ing" form doesn't seem to work so well.
  • Anyway, I'd say that "cough" in "cough syrup" is indeed a purpose adjective.
  • If I think of another "ing" example which means "to prevent something," I'll get back.
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2 Answers
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AnonymousI gave him a cough syrup
Perhaps a "coughing syrup" would be to make him cough. The "ing" verbals refer to the action.

When the verb describes the action you want to prevent, the "ing" form doesn't seem to work so well.

Anyway, I'd say that "cough" in "cough syrup" is indeed a purpose adjective.

If I think of
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Many 'purpose' adjectives are participles, but certainly not all. In the case you site, however, it is not the purpose of the syrup to create a 'cough', whereas with 'sleeping pills', the purpose is to create sleep.

Conversely, not all -ing adjectives are not purpose adjectives: Consider 'sleeping bag' vs 'sleeping dog'.

All in all, it is better not to occupy yourself o
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