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Pokh Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Participle Modifier
A cannon shooting dead chickens at airplanes has proved helpful to demonstrate what kind of damage can result when jets fly into a flock of large birds.
I guess role of the participle modifier is to show action occurring at the same time as that of the verb.
Therefore,does above sentence sounds logical? Should not it be (had proved or proved) instead of has proved?
bit confused....
Thank you
I guess role of the participle modifier is to show action occurring at the same time as that of the verb.
Therefore,does above sentence sounds logical? Should not it be (had proved or proved) instead of has proved?
bit confused....
Thank you
Top answer
What 'participle modifier' are you speaking of? 'Proved' is part of the main verb. 'Has proved' is fine for a recent action that will likely be repeated in the future.
- What 'participle modifier' are you speaking of?
- 'Proved' is part of the main verb.
- 'Has proved' is fine for a recent action that will likely be repeated in the future.
- airplane'; the clause modifies the noun 'cannon'.
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6 Answers
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What 'participle modifier' are you speaking of? 'Proved' is part of the main verb. 'Has proved' is fine for a recent action that will likely be repeated in the future. 'Shooting' is a non-finite verb, a part of the non-finite clause 'shooting...airplane'; the clause modifies the noun 'cannon'.
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I think Shooting show action occurring at the same time as "has proven" coz ing phrases takes the tense of the main verb... If so, the sentence sort of sounds illogical coz we can't say something has been proved with shooting still going on...Shouldn't the sentence say the shooting was completed before it proved sth..
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No. 'Shooting' is non-finite, which means that it has no external time reference.
A cannon shooting dead chickens is always exciting.
A cannon shooting dead chickens was featured at the carnival last year.
A cannon shooting dead chickens will be the star attraction at the next Olympics in 2012.
A cannon shooting dead chickens is always exciting.
A cannon shooting dead chickens was featured at the carnival last year.
A cannon shooting dead chickens will be the star attraction at the next Olympics in 2012.
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Mister MicawberNo. 'Shooting' is non-finite, which means that it has no external time reference.Thanks... but I am still confused.
A cannon shooting dead chickens is always exciting.
A cannon shooting dead chickens was featured at the carnival last year.
A cannon shooting dead chickens will be the star attraction at the next Olympics in 2012.
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Commnet's example - and point - is the case in which the non-finite clause is the object of the same subject: The team (a) (is) working and (b) began to improve. That is the only kind of clause for which their rule applies.
In our cannon case, the nonfinite clause is merely adjectival. Anyway, the examples I gave are clear evidence that it is not necessary for the '-ing'
In our cannon case, the nonfinite clause is merely adjectival. Anyway, the examples I gave are clear evidence that it is not necessary for the '-ing'
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I think a case can also be made for calling shooting the gerundive subject
[The procedure of] A cannon('s) shooting dead chickens at airplanes | has proved ...
unless this analysis is considered impossible either because of the agentless character of "a cannon" or, what may amount to nearly the same thing, because of the lack of the possessive 's on "cannon".
[The procedure of] A cannon('s) shooting dead chickens at airplanes | has proved ...
unless this analysis is considered impossible either because of the agentless character of "a cannon" or, what may amount to nearly the same thing, because of the lack of the possessive 's on "cannon".
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