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nonameee
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Verb modifiers 19 May 2011, 04:08
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Can someone please explain to me why the following sentence is wrong (according to Manhattan SC):

The weight was lifted to free my leg.

To me, it looks pretty much OK.

Thanks.

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Verb modifiers 20 May 2011, 05:11
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the subject of the sentence is missing here.
The weight was lifted by me/Amit to free his/my leg.
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nonameee
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Verb modifiers 20 May 2011, 05:56
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Are you sure that that's the problem?
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Verb modifiers 20 May 2011, 08:55
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Grammatically is correct, but it is not clear. Here, we cannot know who lifted the weight.

Remember that there are a heriarchy of errors in SC. These levels are:
1) Grammar, being the most important.
2) Meaning
3) Concision and style

I think I deserve kudos ;)
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Verb modifiers 20 May 2011, 12:27
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amit2k9
the subject of the sentence is missing here.
The weight was lifted by me/Amit to free his/my leg.
Show more


I think he is right. Every sentence needs a subject... Unless they are in Imperative Mood...Where the subject is assumed.
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nonameee
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Verb modifiers 23 May 2011, 05:08
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Quote:
Grammatically is correct, but it is not clear. Here, we cannot know who lifted the weight.
Show more

What is not clear? The sentence is very clear to me.
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nonameee
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Verb modifiers 23 May 2011, 05:09
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It'd be great if someone knowledgeable or ideally someone from Manhattan shed a light on this matter.
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Verb modifiers 30 Jun 2011, 09:53
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Although anyone ( or at least most native speakers) know what is meant/implied by the sentence, it is technically unclear as is:

amit2k9
the subject of the sentence is missing here.
The weight was lifted by me/Amit to free his/my leg.
Show more

amit basically has it right. you need to say what/who lifted the weight because the sentence in its current form basically implies that the weight freed the leg. However, a weight cannot perform any action like this, so there must be something doing the action to free the leg.

Although anyone ( or at least most native speakers) know what is meant/implied by the sentence, it is technically unclear as is:
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Verb modifiers 30 Jun 2012, 20:15
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Great explanations. Kudos all round, gents.

Cheers,
Der alte Fritz.

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