Posted by John Lambert on January 09, 2010 at 06:18:34 user John.
In Reply to: Re: Ages in GN posted by andyb on January 08, 2010 at 10:31:03:
Andy B,
If you had said the verb "to be" cannot be followed by a direct object, would your undergrad have understood? While we're on the subject (ha ha) of grammar, please tell me what the British would call the following sentence: "The flowers must be watered." In North America, as far as I can make out, this sentence is considered to be in the passive voice and has no subject. "Flowers" would be the direct object. In England, I have been told, "flowers" is assumed to be the subject, since you cannot have a sentence without a subject. Is this the standard British usage?