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Hanuman_2000 Posted 9 years ago
Grammar

Busy

Hello,

Some adjectives like 'busy' and 'worth' take -ingV as a complement.

1. Margery is busy writing letters.

What is the function of the 'writing' here?

Thanks.
  

Top answer

hanuman_2000 1. Margery is busy writing letters. I would name the underlined part an adjectival phrase functioning as subject complement.

  • hanuman_2000 1.
  • Margery is busy writing letters.
  • I would name the underlined part an adjectival phrase functioning as subject complement.
  • hanuman_2000 What is the function of the 'writing' here?
  • I think we have an omitted proposition here: Margery is busy (with) writing letters.
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6 Answers
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hanuman_20001. Margery is busy writing letters.
I would name the underlined part an adjectival phrase functioning as subject complement.
hanuman_2000What is the function of the 'writing' here?
I think we have an omitted proposition here: Margery is busy (with) writing letters.

Since the prepositional p
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Hello,

Thanks for your comments.

1.They've spent the whole day shopping.
2.I wasted money buying this game.
3.I caught him going through my bag.
4.We found some money lying on the ground.

Are these in bold the participles?

The 'shopping' modifies 'the whole day'.

Could you please explain it?

Thanks.
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hanuman_2000Are these in bold the participles?
No, they are gerunds.
hanuman_2000The 'shopping' modifies 'the whole day'.
They are all object complements.

1.They've spent the whole day shopping.
2.I wasted money buying this game.
3.I caught him g
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Thank.
1. He came running towards me.
2. He goes reading a book.

Are the ing-V participles?
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hanuman_2000Are the ing-V participles?
Yes.

They are adverbials in function, modifying came and goes respectively.
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Persian LearnerI think we have an omitted proposition here: Margery is busy (with) writing letters.
I think 'with' should be excluded.

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