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Moon7296 Posted 13 years ago
Grammar
back up / be backed up (traffic)
I looked up the definition of "back up" and the result is below.
back up
1.if traffic backs up or is backed up, it cannot move and forms a long line
ex) Two lanes were closed by the accident, causing cars to back up for miles
Q) As you can see, "back up" can be used in both active and passive voice. Is the usage dependent on whether or not there is a cause? i.e. if the speaker wants to highlight the cause of the traffic, then it's better to say the traffic is backed up (by the accident)?
back up
1.if traffic backs up or is backed up, it cannot move and forms a long line
ex) Two lanes were closed by the accident, causing cars to back up for miles
Q) As you can see, "back up" can be used in both active and passive voice. Is the usage dependent on whether or not there is a cause? i.e. if the speaker wants to highlight the cause of the traffic, then it's better to say the traffic is backed up (by the accident)?
Top answer
Yes, I generally agree with your observation, though I reserve my opinion for particular instances—of course!
- Yes, I generally agree with your observation, though I reserve my opinion for particular instances—of course!
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1 Answers
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Yes, I generally agree with your observation, though I reserve my opinion for particular instances—of course!
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