Is this correct?

Question

I was arguing with my colleague earlier today about this sentence:
"The clock is round shape."

I tried to tell her it's wrong and the correct sentence should be "The clock is round shaped." or "... round in shape." At last, I told her I would post an entry here regarding this.

Am I right? Which sentence is correct?

Thank you for helping!

BarbaraPA · Accepted Answer

Hi gilysse,

I agree with you that the origial sentence is not correct.

The clock is round.

The clock is round in shape.

The clock's shape is round.

NOT: The clock is round shape.

(However, I don't find your "The clock is round shaped" to be very natural either.)

Avangi · Answer

At least "round shaped" gives you a little wiggle room. If you say "the clock is round," there are those who would take that as meaning "perfectly round," which of course nothing really is.

"Round in shape" is clearly higher register than "round shaped" but unlikely to be used in casual conversation - except perhaps a casual conversation among college professors.

Clive · Answer

Hi,

As already noted, 'the clock is round shape' is wrong.

This seems similar to this error commonly made by English learners.

The shirt is blue colour (wrong)

The shirt is blue (right).

Best wishes, Clive

MrPedantic · Answer

Might your colleague have said:

1. The clock is a round shape

— a statement which, though not very interesting, is both grammatical and possibly true?

MrP

Avangi · Answer

I'd compound the felony by adding yet another word: The clock is of a round shape.

That way we give credence to the notion it might also keep time.

(Perhaps the colleague simply omitted the "a" as a matter of style. But it seems they had a discussion about it. That must have been worked out.)

Is this correct?

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