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Hhtt Posted 10 years ago
Vocabulary
applied to v. to be applied to
Some verb usages have always confused me because thinking them from my native they should be passive. Let's discuss this example.
Original: Which description does not apply to -9. [Which is surely active]
My idea: Which is the description not applied to -9 [Which is passive]
So I would like to ask what is the difference? Original seems strange to me because somebody applies the description.
Source: Algebra 1 by McDougal Littell.
Thank you.
Original: Which description does not apply to -9. [Which is surely active]
My idea: Which is the description not applied to -9 [Which is passive]
So I would like to ask what is the difference? Original seems strange to me because somebody applies the description.
Source: Algebra 1 by McDougal Littell.
Thank you.
Top answer
If your examples are supposed to be complete sentences then they need question marks at the end. "apply" can be used intransitively, as in your first example, or transitively, as in your second example. Both make sense, but the first is more abstract; the second example feels more clunky, and generally would be considered only if there was a need to emphasise that a person or thing had applied various descriptions.
- If your examples are supposed to be complete sentences then they need question marks at the end.
- "apply" can be used intransitively, as in your first example, or transitively, as in your second example.
- Both make sense, but the first is more abstract; the second example feels more clunky, and generally would be considered only if there was a need to emphasise that a person or thing had applied various descriptions.
- Is "-9" negative nine?
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3 Answers
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If your examples are supposed to be complete sentences then they need question marks at the end.
"apply" can be used intransitively, as in your first example, or transitively, as in your second example. Both make sense, but the first is more abstract; the second example feels more clunky, and generally would be considered only if there was a need to emphasise that a person or thing had ap
"apply" can be used intransitively, as in your first example, or transitively, as in your second example. Both make sense, but the first is more abstract; the second example feels more clunky, and generally would be considered only if there was a need to emphasise that a person or thing had ap
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GPYthe first is more abstractWhat does "abstract" mean here?
GPYs "-9" negative nine?Yes -9 is negative nine but why is it confusing?
Thank you.
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hhttWhat does "abstract" mean here?Perhaps "abstract" was not quite the best choice of word. I mean that it has less of the idea that the description is being applied by someone or something, and more of the idea that you are talking about an intrinsic property of -9.
hhttYes -9 is negative nine but why is it confusing?It
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