Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Tony 1963]

Hi,

I've read the following sentence:

"Hundreds of engineers were hunched over computer consoles."

Why not "Hundreds of engineers hunched over computer consoles"?

Thanks.

Tony

[MrPedantic]

Hello Tony

1. Hundreds of engineers were hunched over computer consoles.

2. Hundreds of engineers hunched over computer consoles.

#1 presents a state: "hunched over" is adjectival (the subject complement) and tells use more about the state of the "hundreds of engineers".

#2 presents an action: "hunched over" is the main verb, and tells us what the engineers did.

Thus #1 shows us a static picture: but #2 shows us the engineers in the act of "hunching over".

(Perhaps they have all returned simultaneously from lunch, sat down simultaneously, and resumed work on their PCs simultaneously. Engineers are strange folk.)

MrP

[Tony 1963]

thanks. MrPedantic.