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Desafinado Posted 11 years ago
Grammar

Which sounds more natural

The copy machine breaks.

The copy machine is broken.
  

Top answer

If you are describing the current state of the copy machine then only the second one works. The first one is less usual. It seems to be describing the regular breakdown of the machine, but you would usually say this another way, such as "The copy machine is always breaking down".

— GPY

  • If you are describing the current state of the copy machine then only the second one works.
  • The first one is less usual.
  • It seems to be describing the regular breakdown of the machine, but you would usually say this another way, such as "The copy machine is always breaking down".
  • I would say "copier" or "photocopier".
  • I think "copy machine" is possibly mostly AmE.
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8 Answers
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If you are describing the current state of the copy machine then only the second one works.

The first one is less usual. It seems to be describing the regular breakdown of the machine, but you would usually say this another way, such as "The copy machine is always breaking down".

I would say "copier" or "photocopier". I think "copy machine" is possibly mostly AmE.
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We say "photocopier" too.
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Thank you, GPY for your thorough explanation. I noticed that I should use the second expression.
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Thank you, BarbaraPA.

Do you know where "a copy machine" is used?
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Just sounds like an old term
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Thank you, I understand.
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BarbaraPAWe say "photocopier" too.
As with Kleenex, we often use the name of a brand of copying machines and say Xerox in a generic way.
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Hi Philip, thanks as always. I am posting from Japan and working with people from some countries including England, America and Australia, so I try to use photocopier, Xerox, Kleenex and tissue as an experiment.
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