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Fandorin Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Want it destroyed

Hi, dear teachers. I have seen such a construction for a long time. I have got some questions about. Could you please explain it to me?

I want the car destroyed/to be destroyed.

I guess these have the same meaning, don't they?

It reminds me Causative construction, to a certain extent, of course.

Is it a good style, or just informal writing?

Can I say? I moved off the town and I didn't want my dovecote devastated, that's why I entrusted it to my friend.

Thank you in advance.
  

Top answer

I was thinking you had contributed to this thread, but I just checked, and I guess you missed it. Take a look. It's all about your question.

— Avangi

  • I was thinking you had contributed to this thread, but I just checked, and I guess you missed it.
  • Take a look.
  • It's all about your question.
  • I think the usage you quote is considered good formal style.
  • BTW, what's a dovecote ?
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6 Answers
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I was thinking you had contributed to this thread, but I just checked, and I guess you missed it. Take a look. It's all about your question.

I think the usage you quote is considered good formal style.

BTW, what's a dovecote?

We'd say, "I moved away from the town."
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Thank you, Avangi. Dovecot(e) is a structure, usually at a height above the ground, for housing domestic pigeons. Emotion: smile

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Fandorin In which context may I use move off?
If you are currently occupying a patch of land, or a property, or a structure -

"Move off the stage, please." "Please move off the grass."

"We moved off the farm last July."

Usually if it's a town or house or apartment, we'd say, "We moved out of the town / house / a
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I get it. And one more little question. "Clear off" is quite similar to "move off", isn't it?

What's an intense discussion over the post you gave the link to! It's one of thoughts I've mulled over for a long time.
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Fandorin "Clear off" is quite similar to "move off", isn't it?
Correct. At least, when you're ordering someone to leave.

If you mean you left a place and were glad of it, you'd probably say, "We cleared out of that place last week!" This could apply to a town or an appartment or a farm.

"We cleared off the farm" wo
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