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Anonymous Posted 14 years ago
Grammar

unergative verbs and unacussative verbs?

HI
WOULD SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME IF THESE SENTENCES ARE TRUE OR NOT ?
THE BOY SLEPT (UNERGATIVE )
THE BOY WAS SLEEPING (UNACCUSATIVE )
THANKS IN ADVANCE
  

Top answer

These sentences are grammatically correct: The boy slept. (simple past tense) The boy was sleeping. ) I cannot tell you if they are true or not, because I don't know which boy is being described at what time.

  • These sentences are grammatically correct: The boy slept.
  • (simple past tense) The boy was sleeping.
  • ) I cannot tell you if they are true or not, because I don't know which boy is being described at what time.
  • Sleep is an intransitive verb.
  • It is also unergative, since the past participle cannot be a nominal modifier.
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1 Answers
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These sentences are grammatically correct:

The boy slept. (simple past tense)
The boy was sleeping. (past progressive.)

I cannot tell you if they are true or not, because I don't know which boy is being described at what time.

Sleep is an intransitive verb.
It is also unergative, since the past participle cannot be a nominal modifier.

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