Transitive/intransitive

Question

1. Chalice was probably buried to keep from being stolen by invaders.

2. Chalice was probably buried to keep it from being stolen by invaders.

Since the subject is chalice I thought I do not need to repeat it...but seems like there is a drastic difference in meaning if i omit it. Could you or someone please elaborate the grammatical difference between the two sentences ..I mean why is transitive verbal better than intransitive verbal here?

Thank you

POK

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

#1 is simply not right; use #2.

CalifJim · Answer

Only this version is correct.

The chalice was probably buried to keep it from being stolen by invaders.

It seems to me that the omission of the element between "keep" and "from" is only possible when 1) it is implicitly the subject of the sentence, and 2) it is agentive. This means automatically that such an element is never omissible after a passive main clause.

The chalice cannot keep itself from being stolen (is not agentive), so you have to state the "it".

So you would need an agent subject if you wanted to use "keep from" without an intervening word. The intervening word is implicitly "myself", "yourself", "himself", or some other reflexive when it is omitted.

The thief ran away to keep from being arrested. (to keep himself from ...)

I bit my tongue to keep from laughing. (to keep myself from ...)

Kathy took a special pill to keep from falling asleep. (to keep herself from ...)

But:

They steadied the refrigerator to keep it from falling. (refrigerator is not the subject of the sentence.)

CJ

Moon7296 · Answer

Ou...

I find this is good to know; this would be helpful related to my exam relam: syntax, thematic role.

Thank you CJ

Transitive/intransitive

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