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Garnett Posted 20 years ago
Grammar

"I was stood at the bus stop"

There has been some recent debate on the letter pages of a paper here in London about the verb usage in the sentence "I was stood at the bus stop".

I say debate, but really there has been none, since everyone who has written in has equally deplored this usage.

I disagree.

I think it might be acceptable in a certain context and with certain things understood.

I've forgotten the correct order in which to parse a verb, but I think this could be the first person, passive, past historic.

Like, for example, in this sentence:

"I was situated in the back of the car."

I think the problem arises because the verb "to stand" is often though of as intransitive. The use "to stand something" is often overlooked.

"I stood the vase on the table"

The verb "to situate" is more often used intransitively.

I situated myself at the bus stop" is not often seen, but is correct usage of a transitive verb with the reflexive pronoun.

I was situated at the bus stop" is the more common, and equally correct usage of a participle adjective (past historic?).

I stood myself at the bus stop" is correct usage of the reflexive construction.

"I was stood at the bus stop" therefore, I would argue, is similarly acceptable as a construction using the passive past historic particle, as an adjective.

What are people's thoughts on this?
  

Top answer

"I was stood at the bus stop. " and you're wrong again according to this language arbiter: ---------- Sitting and Standing Say 'I was sitting on the bus' and 'I was standing in the queue', not 'I was sat' and 'I was stood'. view=uk --------- I was stood up on a date.

— Marius Hancu

  • "I was stood at the bus stop.
  • " and you're wrong again according to this language arbiter: ---------- Sitting and Standing Say 'I was sitting on the bus' and 'I was standing in the queue', not 'I was sat' and 'I was stood'.
  • view=uk --------- I was stood up on a date.
  • yes, that would be correct, IMO.
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16 Answers
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"I was stood at the bus stop. "
strange passive to me, I'd opt for:
"I stood at the bus stop."
or
"I was standing at the bus stop."

and you're wrong again according to this language arbiter:
----------
Sitting and Standing


Say 'I was sitting on the bus' and 'I was standing in the queu
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Marius Hancu"I was stood at the bus stop. "
strange passive to me, I'd opt for:
"I stood at the bus stop."
or
"I was standing at the bus stop."
Both active. Use of the passive adds additional flavour. What do you mean by "strange passive"? I think it is past historic participle.
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Re: "I was stood at the bus stop. "

Also, it's considered non-standard in this Usenet discussion by several knowledgeable people (such as Mike Lyle):
http://tinyurl.com/y5cetb
but you can decide that you don't believe them either, so good luck
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Garnett, unless you are an inanimate object, other people don't "stand you" somewhere. If you are dead and rigor mortis has set in, I suppose I can prop you somewhere - at the bus stop, if you wish. But at that point, you've really lost the abilty to use the word "I," haven't you?

You can "plop yourself down on the couch" or you can "haul yourself out of the house.'' You can "situate your
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Grammar GeekGarnett, unless you are an inanimate object, other people don't "stand you" somewhere. If you are dead and rigor mortis has set in, I suppose I can prop you somewhere - at the bus stop, if you wish. But at that point, you've really lost the abilty to use the word "I," haven't you?

You can "plop yourself down on the couch" or you can "haul yourself out
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As there are so few inflections in English, the few grammatical forms that exist must cover everything. This sometimes leads to ambiguity and illogical, or at least inconsistent usage. Consider the following sentences:

He drowned in the river.
He was drowned in the river.

Both sentences can mean the same thing even though the latter one appears to be in the passive voice. On
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Cool BreezeAs there are so few inflections in English, the few grammatical forms that exist must cover everything. This sometimes leads to ambiguity and illogical, or at least inconsistent usage. Consider the following sentences:

He drowned in the river.
He was drowned in the river.

Both sentences can mean the same thing even though the latter one ap
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GarnettTo say "There is no special reason for this. It just isn't" is like saying "I'm right because I'm right".

Another example: "In there corner was stood a large clock"

Hi Garnett

You wanted opinions and got them. I don't understand why you should get angry because of that. Surely can't expect everybody to agree with you?
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Garnett,

I wasn’t going to add to this topic but I just couldn’t stand it.

John was supposed to have a date with Jennifer last night. But she stood him up.

John got stood up.

He stood at the bus stop for a long time.

He placed a vase on the table. Not “situated”.

So you are saying "I stood myself where I could
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I'm whispering because I don't want to stir up the hornet's nest again but this is used colloquially in Britain in some regions. It isn't standard though.
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