Hangover

Hi,

I'm still hung over from yesterday.

Why is the past tense of hang used in this situation when it's apparently in the future? (It's not in the future.)



For the same reason I say'I can't walk. My leg is broken.'

PreciousJonesWhy is the past tense of hang used ...?

It isn't. That's a past participle used as an adjective. The following are all present tense statements of the same kind.

I am hung over.
The clothes are torn.
The door is locked.
The students are bored.
The letter is written.
The documents are sorted.
His arm is infected.

Hi,

His arm is infected.

And don't forget 'My leg is broken'.



Clive

Hi Clive,

The heart's stopped.

Is it "has" or "is"?

Thank you.

Tinanam

CliveAnd don't forget 'My leg is broken'.

Oh, right. That, too. Same idea.

CJ

Hi,

The heart's stopped.

Is it "has" or "is"?

Can be either.



Clive

Hi Clive,

I watched ER with this caption. The doctor is about to pronounce the time of death. Would it be "the heart is stopped" or "the heart has stopped" in this situation.

Thank you.

Tinanam

Hi,

I watched ER with this caption. The doctor is about to pronounce the time of death. Would it be "the heart is stopped" or "the heart has stopped" in this situation.

The latter.



Clive

Hi Clive,

I understand. In what circumstances would "the heart is stopped" be used?

Thank you.

Tinanam

Hi again,

It's hard to think of a situation. I suppose one could say it in your ER scenario. It was just that '. . . has stopped' was my preference.

Or perhaps there's an execution, and one could say eg

'The prisoner is strapped down to a table. The heart is stopped by a lethal injection'.



Clive