Verb Usage: 'Resuming' or 'Resuming with'

Question

Hi,I am having trouble finding an explanation of using the verb, resume, in the context of continuing with a process; for example, I am unsure which is correct:Resuming with the installation.Resuming the installation.I believe that Resuming with the installation is proper, but I am not certain.If anyone has any specific references that I could use, it would be most appreciated.Thank you.

MrPedantic · Accepted Answer

Hello Anon,

As a BrE speaker, I would say "resumed the installation". The "with" sounds like a borrowing from "carry on with".

It may be different for speakers of other kinds of English, though.

Best wishes,

MrP

Avangi · Answer

I thought the British said Carry on! ~~with~~, MrP.

Anonymous · Answer

Thanks, but the suggestion is in the past tense. I want to use the gerundive verb, which in the context of a heading. I'm having trouble finding a grammar reference, online....

Avangi · Answer

I agree from the other side of the pond that switching to past tense makes the "with" less likely.

"Resuming with the installation" seems less formal, and perhaps therefore more common.

I think it has more to do with the object than with the verb(al). You could use imperative, "Resume [with] the installation" and the issue is exactly the same.

As far as I can see, "to continue" and "to carry on" are no different in this respect.

Anyway, I think it depends on what you're resuming (with), or what you're installing. For instance, is "the installation" a fixed procedure? Is it understood that you must resume where you left off? You have completed steps one through twenty-five, and you must resume with step twenty-six? I believe in this case it's more natural to omit the "with," since the installation is proceeding according to a fixed plan. It's like resuming the trip, resuming the path, resuming the flight, resuming the route.

If you're installing wallboard in a house, or shingles on a roof, I believe the "with" is completely optional.

Google may give you some comfort - perhaps you've already checked:

"resuming the installation" - 2110 hits Continuing etc. 24,000 Carrying on etc. 6 Carry on etc. 429,000

"resuming with the installation" - 2 hits " with 36,600 " with 117 " with 8,860

MrPedantic · Answer

AvangiI thought the British said Carry on! ~~with~~, MrP.

Whenever possible...

MrPedantic · Answer

AnonymousThanks, but the suggestion is in the past tense. I want to use the gerundive verb, which in the context of a heading. I'm having trouble finding a grammar reference, online..

Sorry, I misunderstood.

1. "Resuming the installation" – this suggests to me that you have interrupted the installation to do something else, e.g. scrabble desperately among your old software documentation for a required user key.

2. "Resuming with the installation" – this suggests to me that you have interrupted some other process, in which "installation" is one possible next step.

(To my mind, #2 seems a very much less likely scenario; but it may well suit your context.)

All the best,

MrP

Anonymous · Answer

MrP, thank you very much for your replies. They helped a lot. <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/> I also asked a couple of peers, and they concurred that "Resuming the installation" is correct.

Verb Usage: 'Resuming' or 'Resuming with'

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