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Sb70012 Posted 12 years ago
Grammar
Alone-asleep-ashamed-awake-upset ....
Hello,
I have asked a confusing question in almost three different forums but the answers are not the same. That's why I'm still confused. I want to ask it here and see what you think about that. This is my question:
Once our teacher told us (alone-asleep-ashamed-awake-upset-ill-well-afloat-afraid-alight-alike-alive) can not be before a noun.
Do you agree with him or not?
For example:
an upset man - an asleep baby - an alone boy - an ashamed girl - an awake man - an ill man - a well man -
an afraid man - an afloat ship - an alight lamp - an alike man - an alive man -
These are the answers I have received from native English speakers:
Answer 1: only "well man" or "well woman" exist.
Answer 2: "alone (alone keystone) - afraid - ashamed - upset - ill - well" can come before a noun.
Answer 3: "the ashamed girl" or "the upset man" exist but not with article "an".
Answer 4: Yes I do agree with your teacher.
Answer 5: "an upset man - an ashamed girl - an ill man - a well man" exist
Answer 6: Yes I agree with your teacher.
You see? Answers are different. May I know what your opinion is?
The reason I started to ask this question was because of this picture:
Please do see it:
Source 1 : http://www.mygrammarlab.com/assets/downloads/pdfs/MyGrammarLab_Advanced.pdf
Source 2 : http://global.oup.com/booksites/content/9780199658237/Sample_pages.pdf
I have asked a confusing question in almost three different forums but the answers are not the same. That's why I'm still confused. I want to ask it here and see what you think about that. This is my question:
Once our teacher told us (alone-asleep-ashamed-awake-upset-ill-well-afloat-afraid-alight-alike-alive) can not be before a noun.
Do you agree with him or not?
For example:
an upset man - an asleep baby - an alone boy - an ashamed girl - an awake man - an ill man - a well man -
an afraid man - an afloat ship - an alight lamp - an alike man - an alive man -
These are the answers I have received from native English speakers:
Answer 1: only "well man" or "well woman" exist.
Answer 2: "alone (alone keystone) - afraid - ashamed - upset - ill - well" can come before a noun.
Answer 3: "the ashamed girl" or "the upset man" exist but not with article "an".
Answer 4: Yes I do agree with your teacher.
Answer 5: "an upset man - an ashamed girl - an ill man - a well man" exist
Answer 6: Yes I agree with your teacher.
You see? Answers are different. May I know what your opinion is?
The reason I started to ask this question was because of this picture:
Please do see it:
Source 1 : http://www.mygrammarlab.com/assets/downloads/pdfs/MyGrammarLab_Advanced.pdf
Source 2 : http://global.oup.com/booksites/content/9780199658237/Sample_pages.pdf
Top answer
These are the forms I commonly find: an upset man/ a man upset a sleeping baby/ a baby asleep a boy alone an ashamed girl/ a girl ashamed an awake man/ a man awake an ill man/ a man ill a well man a man afraid a ship afloat a lit/lighted lamp a man alive The complete sentence or context would determine the choice when there are two options.
- These are the forms I commonly find: an upset man/ a man upset a sleeping baby/ a baby asleep a boy alone an ashamed girl/ a girl ashamed an awake man/ a man awake an ill man/ a man ill a well man a man afraid a ship afloat a lit/lighted lamp a man alive The complete sentence or context would determine the choice when there are two options.
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3 Answers
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These are the forms I commonly find:
an upset man/ a man upset
a sleeping baby/ a baby asleep
a boy alone
an ashamed girl/ a girl ashamed
an awake man/ a man awake
an ill man/ a man ill
a well man
a man afraid
a ship afloat
a lit/lighted lamp
a man alive
The complete sentence or context would determine the choice when there are two options.
an upset man/ a man upset
a sleeping baby/ a baby asleep
a boy alone
an ashamed girl/ a girl ashamed
an awake man/ a man awake
an ill man/ a man ill
a well man
a man afraid
a ship afloat
a lit/lighted lamp
a man alive
The complete sentence or context would determine the choice when there are two options.
00
Yes, your teacher is right. The adjectives, alone, asleep, ashamed, awake, upset, ill, well, afloat, afraid, alight, alike, and alive, cannot come immediately before a noun. You sometimes might see combinations like "well man," but this is awkward-sounding and would be unusual usage. Follow your teacher's rule.
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My opinion is that they are awkward, at best.
There is a colloquial expression He's not a well man (or She's not a well woman) which would account for Answer #1.
I would say a sleeping baby, or a baby asleep, not an asleep baby.
I would say a lone boy, a lonely boy, a boy alone
There is a colloquial expression He's not a well man (or She's not a well woman) which would account for Answer #1.
I would say a sleeping baby, or a baby asleep, not an asleep baby.
I would say a lone boy, a lonely boy, a boy alone
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