Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

klafterreith · Joined: 25 Nov 2005 Posts: 429

a.A series of strokes left her debilitated.

b.A series of strokes left her debilitated behind.

c.A series of strokes left her back debilitated.

d.A series of strokes left her debilitated back.

Please tell me which are correct. Thank you.

Christine123 · Joined: 15 Oct 2008 Posts: 90 Location: Indiana

Both A and C are correct.

B and D are incorrect because "debilitated" is being used as an adjective here, and adjectives should always follow the noun or pronoun they describe. The two examples have the noun following the adjective. Also, I am not sure if this is true elsewhere, but in North American English the word "behind," when describing a part of the body, is used to refer to the buttocks.