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Li Ming Lok Posted 16 years ago
Grammar
To suicide or to be suicidal?
About 18 of them were found to be suicidal.
About 18 of them were found to suicide.
Which should be used?
About 18 of them were found to suicide.
Which should be used?
Top answer
The first sentence is possible. It means that they were in the mental state of wanting to kill themselves, not that they actually had killed themselves. "to suicide" in the second sentence is wrong.
- The first sentence is possible.
- It means that they were in the mental state of wanting to kill themselves, not that they actually had killed themselves.
- "to suicide" in the second sentence is wrong.
- The verbal form is "to commit suicide", so if they actually had killed themselves, you should say "About 18 of them were found to have committed suicide".
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1 Answers
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The first sentence is possible. It means that they were in the mental state of wanting to kill themselves, not that they actually had killed themselves.
"to suicide" in the second sentence is wrong. The verbal form is "to commit suicide", so if they actually had killed themselves, you should say "About 18 of them were found to have committed suicide".
"to suicide" in the second sentence is wrong. The verbal form is "to commit suicide", so if they actually had killed themselves, you should say "About 18 of them were found to have committed suicide".
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