Tough guy or not, I appreciate what you wrote with its interesting word distinctions. Thank you. Linda Linda Comerford 317.786.6404 [log in to unmask] <blocked::http://www.comerfordconsulting.com/> www.comerfordconsulting.com _____ From: Assembly for the Teaching of English Grammar [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dick Veit Sent: Monday, February 21, 2011 11:02 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: Supposed versus Suppose My explanation to a class might go like this: "Suppose" has the primary meaning of assume or speculate. A supposition, after all, is an assumption or speculation. In the active voice, we say things like these: * People suppose that I am a tough guy, but I'm really not. Sentences like this have passive equivalents: * I am supposed to be a tough guy, but I'm really not. In the passive, in addition to assumed, "supposed" has broadened to acquire the second meaning of expected, so that the following can have two different meanings: * I am supposed to be a tough guy, This can mean either that I am mistakenly believed to be a tough guy or that I am expected/required to be a tough guy. The latter, unlike the former meaning, has no active equivalent, so that "People suppose me to be a tough guy" can only mean that they assume this; it cannot mean that they expect or require it. The second meaning of the passive form is now used more frequently than the first, so that "Students are supposed to hand in their homework on time" can only mean expected, never assumed. Dick To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/ To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html and select "Join or leave the list" Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/