Go wrong

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It was a robbery gone wrong.Isn't that means : it was a robbery that went wrong?Why is gone (past participle for passive voice) used instead of going (present participle for active voice)? Thanks.

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

Will LeungIsn't that means : it was a robbery that went wrong?

"Doesn't that mean it was a robbery that went wrong?"

Yes.

Will LeungWhy is gone (past participle for passive voice) used instead of going (present participle for active voice)?

Well, it happened in the past, but it is not passive. You can think of it as a short form of "It was a robbery that had gone wrong", but that is not what it is. I hope a grammarian shows up, because I'd like an explanation, too, but I would call "gone" an adverbial participle.

CalifJim · Answer

Will LeungWhy is gone (past participle for passive voice) used

It's the past participle of 'go', but not passive because 'go' doesn't take an object.

The past participle 'gone' can be used with an adjective to signal a change of state (usually to a worse one): gone wild, gone crazy, gone unnoticed, gone bankrupt, gone sour, gone bad, gone blind, ...

This construction is no longer very productive in English. That is, people are not adding more expressions like this to the language, so it's better to learn the ones that already exist. Don't try to make up new ones. For example, gone tall and gone sick and gone tight will sound wrong to native speakers.

Will Leung~~Isn't that means :~~ Doesn't that mean that it was a robbery that went wrong?

Note above how to write your question.

(Yes, that's what it means.)

CJ

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