Writing/
The potatoes are being cooked/are cooking in the kitchen.
Which is correct, are being cooked or are cooking? Thanks in advance.
Top answer
You could use either one. However " the potatoes are cooking " is ambiguous, and might suggest that the potatoes are busy preparing a meal.
- You could use either one.
- However " the potatoes are cooking " is ambiguous, and might suggest that the potatoes are busy preparing a meal.
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You could use either one. However "the potatoes are cooking" is ambiguous, and might suggest that the potatoes are busy preparing a meal.
0'cook' is an ergative verb. While many verbs have only an active and passive, ergative verbs have a third form in which the object in the active sentence becomes a subject (as when forming the passive) while the verb retains its active form.
Susan cooked the potatoes.
The potatoes were cooked (by Susan).
The potatoes cooked.
CJ
0We used to say "a-cooking" in this sense, but now we've dropped the prefix and just say "cooking" because the meaning is just as clear that way.
0
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