# Grammar Questions (1 sentence)

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-questions-1-sentence/130998>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 5, 2002, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-questions-1-sentence/130998 "2002-10-05T20:57:55Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![barbitu8](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/839c29/32.png) [@barbitu8](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/barbitu8)\
**Post date:** [October 6, 2002, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-questions-1-sentence/130998/21 "2002-10-06T22:49:46Z")

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Well, you can try \*A Dictionary of Contemporary American Usage \* by Bergen and Cornelia Evans (1957). I quote in part:

[quote]  
When the verb in a sentence is passive the thing acted on becomes the grammatical subject and is always mentioned, but the agent may be ignored. In many English verbs the active form may be used with a passive sense, as in _the dorr shut, the room filled, the car drives easily_. This has always been true for _lay_. People have always said \* the book is laying on the table\* and _let it lay_… Some grammarians claim that _lie_is required here, on the grounds that the verb does not have an object. This is an overstatement. _Lie_ may be used here, but it is not required…There is a tendency in present-day English to prefer the verb _lay_ in speaking of inanimate objects, and the verb _lie_ in speaking of living creatures.

In addition, Mr. Kilpatrick has written several books on the English language. The Evanses, as you probably know, were authorities on English, and Mr. Evans was the publisher of _Random House_.

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**Author:** ![Nametag](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nametag/32/406_2.png) [@Nametag](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nametag)\
**Post date:** [October 7, 2002, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/grammar-questions-1-sentence/130998/22 "2002-10-07T04:53:02Z")

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**barbitu8** , you and Kilpatrick are wrong. He can write all the books he wants to, but he is regarded by the greater grammar community as a flake.

The quote fom the Evanses is unbelievable rubbish. Every sentence is wrong, except for this one: “People have always said _the book is laying on the table_ and let it lay\*” True, people say it, and people also say “irregardless,” and “is comprised of.” They’re all wrong, even though dictionaries can be found that list them as acceptable. Though I can’t say whether it includes those examples, the Evanses’ dictionary is a classic of the sort I mean.

I’ll put Bryan Garner and H. W. Fowler up against Kilpatrick and the Evanses any day–and I’ll expect a Steven Pinker in change.

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