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Makiasan Posted 12 years ago
Vocabulary
This is "surprising" and "complicated".
Some verbs, such as "to surprise", have adjectives which end with "ing" and "ed", such as "surprising" and "surprised". I've learned that when a verb can take "somebody" as its object, (This surprises me.), the adjectives can be used as "the reason" is ...ing (This is surprising.) and "Somebody" is ...ed. (I am surprised.)
But when a verb doesn't take somebody as its object, we can't use this rule, such as "to complicate". I think you say "This is complicated.", NOT "This is complicating."
(I hope I am right so far.)
Can you name some other verbs which don't take "somebody" as its object, so that the adjectives can't take "somebody" as its subject?
Thank you.
But when a verb doesn't take somebody as its object, we can't use this rule, such as "to complicate". I think you say "This is complicated.", NOT "This is complicating."
(I hope I am right so far.)
Can you name some other verbs which don't take "somebody" as its object, so that the adjectives can't take "somebody" as its subject?
Thank you.
Top answer
Makiasan But when a verb doesn't take somebody as its object, we can't use this rule, such as "to complicate". " "revealing" is an exception to this. We say "This is revealing" even though the thing it reveals is not a person.
- Makiasan But when a verb doesn't take somebody as its object, we can't use this rule, such as "to complicate".
- " "revealing" is an exception to this.
- We say "This is revealing" even though the thing it reveals is not a person.
- I would guess that there are probably other exceptions.
- I assume you are considering only transitive verbs.
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5 Answers
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MakiasanBut when a verb doesn't take somebody as its object, we can't use this rule, such as "to complicate". I think you say "This is complicated.", NOT "This is complicating.""revealing" is an exception to this. We say "This is revealing" even though the thing it reveals is not a person. I would guess that there are probably other exceptions.
I ass
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Thank you very much for the reply, GPY. Please let me ask one more;
Are these correct?
She revealed the secret.
The secret was revealed.
This book reveals things.
This book is revealing.
Thank you very much.
Are these correct?
She revealed the secret.
The secret was revealed.
This book reveals things.
This book is revealing.
Thank you very much.
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MakiasanSome verbs, such as "to surprise", have adjectives which end with "ing" and "ed", such as "surprising" and "surprised". I've learned that when a verb can take "somebody" as its object, (This surprises me.), the adjectives can be used as "the reason" is ...ing (This is surprising.) and "Somebody" is ...ed. (I am surprised.)But when a verb doesn't take somebody as i
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MakiasanThank you very much for the reply, GPY. Please let me ask one more;Are these correct?She revealed the secret.The secret was revealed. This book reveals things.This book is revealing.Thank you very much.Yes, they are correct.
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