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Navitasan Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Imprisoned for

Can one use:
1) They killed a man imprisoned for three years.
instead of:
2) They killed a man who had been imprisoned for three years.

Gratefully,
Navi.
  

Top answer

#1 is ambiguous. It could mean the same as #2. Or it could mean eg the judge imprisoned him yesterday for a 3-year sentence.

— Clive

  • #1 is ambiguous.
  • It could mean the same as #2.
  • Or it could mean eg the judge imprisoned him yesterday for a 3-year sentence.
  • Clive
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3 Answers
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#1 is ambiguous.
It could mean the same as #2.
Or it could mean eg the judge imprisoned him yesterday for a 3-year sentence.

Clive
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Thank you very much, Clive,

I had not thought of that possibility!

How about:
3) They killed a man imprisoned for three years without seeing the light of day.

Does that work?
I don't suppose the 'three-year sentence' interpretation could apply here.
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