Martha, Grammar is indeed wonderful! Thanks for discovering that my
instincts were not so far off.

Bill

>Bill, I looked into my trusty Quirk et al. for an answer to your research
>question:  Is there a class of verbs that can take on the aura of a linking
>verb?  The answer is yes.  Intransitive verbs can do that:  Here are some
>other examples from Quirk:  He lay flat; we stood motionless.  Both of
>these are in the category of current or existing attributes, as opposed to
>resulting attributes, such as the door slammed shut; the lake froze solid;
>the sun was sinking low; he fell flat; the kids ran wild.  In these
>examples, the attribute results from the event described by the verb.
>(These issues are discussed in sections 10.21, 16.20, and App.I.54, among
>other places, in Quirk et al., A Comprehensive Grammar of the English
>Language.)
>
>Here are some others:  plead innocent, stand firm, play rough, fall silent,
>wax eloquent.
>
>Your act professional does not sound quite as idiomatic, perhaps, but I
>think it falls in the "current" category--like "stand motionless."
>
>Isn't grammar wonderful!
>
>Martha
>
>
>

William J. McCleary
3247 Bronson Hill Road
Livonia, NY 14487
716-346-6859

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