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SheltieBites Posted 14 years ago
Grammar
Half-Transitive
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"Travel", "wait", "sulk", and "drive" are intransitive:
1 "He traveled for five hours."
2 "He waited for five hours."
3 "He sulked for five hours."
4 "He drove for five hours."
5 "He traveled five hours."
6 "He waited five hours."
7 "He sulked five hours."
8 "He drove five hours."
5), 6), 7), 8)are shorter versions of 1), 2), 3), 4), so they are considered intransitive uses of "travel", "wait", "sulk", "drive", even though they look transitive.
Somehow, "travel", "wait", and "drive" become transitive when used this way:
9 "The hours traveled should not be counted."
10 "The hours waited should not be counted."
11 The hours driven should not be counted."
but not "sulk"
12 "The hours sulked should not be counted." (questionable)
So, "travel", "wait", and "drive" could magically become psuedo-transitive, but "sulk" could not?
"Travel", "wait", "sulk", and "drive" are intransitive:
1 "He traveled for five hours."
2 "He waited for five hours."
3 "He sulked for five hours."
4 "He drove for five hours."
5 "He traveled five hours."
6 "He waited five hours."
7 "He sulked five hours."
8 "He drove five hours."
5), 6), 7), 8)are shorter versions of 1), 2), 3), 4), so they are considered intransitive uses of "travel", "wait", "sulk", "drive", even though they look transitive.
Somehow, "travel", "wait", and "drive" become transitive when used this way:
9 "The hours traveled should not be counted."
10 "The hours waited should not be counted."
11 The hours driven should not be counted."
but not "sulk"
12 "The hours sulked should not be counted." (questionable)
So, "travel", "wait", and "drive" could magically become psuedo-transitive, but "sulk" could not?
Top answer
-- In what way do they 'look' transitive'? 'Five hours' remains an adverb with or without its preposition. " (questionable)-- Questionable only because the idea is so odd.
- -- In what way do they 'look' transitive'?
- 'Five hours' remains an adverb with or without its preposition.
- " (questionable)-- Questionable only because the idea is so odd.
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9 Answers
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5), 6), 7), 8)are shorter versions of 1), 2), 3), 4), so they are considered intransitive uses of "travel", "wait", "sulk", "drive", even though they look transitive.-- In what way do they 'look' transitive'? 'Five hours' remains an adverb with or without its preposition.
Somehow, "travel", "wait", and "drive" become transitive when used this way:
9 "The hours traveled sh
Somehow, "travel", "wait", and "drive" become transitive when used this way:
9 "The hours traveled sh
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1 "He spent two hours on homework."----->
"Two hours was spent on homework."
2 "He sulked two hours over a lost wallet." ----->
"Two hours was sulked over a lost wallet."
3 "He slept two hours in the kitchen."----->
"Two hours was slept in the kitchen."
"Two hours was spent on homework."
2 "He sulked two hours over a lost wallet." ----->
"Two hours was sulked over a lost wallet."
3 "He slept two hours in the kitchen."----->
"Two hours was slept in the kitchen."
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Yes for #1 (transitive) but no for #2-4 (intransitive). Intransitive verbs do not form passives.
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But, some intransitive verbs could be used in passive-voice non-finite adjectival clauses?
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Evidentally. Or I may have misdefined the nonfinite uses above.
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Since this:
"He traveled two hours."
is short for:
"He traveled for two hours."
Could this:
"The two hours traveled should be part of the total trip expenses."
be short for:
"The two hours traveled for should be part of the total trip expenses."
"He traveled two hours."
is short for:
"He traveled for two hours."
Could this:
"The two hours traveled should be part of the total trip expenses."
be short for:
"The two hours traveled for should be part of the total trip expenses."
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So, in spite of the intransitiveness of "travel", "wait", and "drive" with respect to time, these are okay:
"The five hours traveled will be charged to the final bill."
"The five hours waited will be charged to the final bill."
"The five hours driv
"The five hours traveled will be charged to the final bill."
"The five hours waited will be charged to the final bill."
"The five hours driv
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Yes, the first set sound natural but the 2nd set sound weird. We waited 5 hours in vain.
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