Grammar: Ergative Verbs
Exercise: Answer
Fill in the blanks in the second sentence in each group, keeping the same meaning as the first sentence.
The highlighted verbs are ergative.
- Humans accelerated tropical deforestation markedly during the 1980s.
Tropical deforestation accelerated markedly during the 1980s. - The 34 per cent overall increase in Wimbledon was a clear indication that people were broadening their interest in tennis.
The 34 per cent overall increase in Wimbledon was a clear indication that tennis was broadening its interest. - Sport offers spontaneity which, when journalists combines it with more sophisticated technology, allows a viewer to watch a game from many different angles.
Sport offers spontaneity which, when it combines with more sophisticated technology, allows a viewer to watch a game from many different angles. - A trust is where a man legally transfers land to another, with an understanding that the transferee will hold it for the benefit of the former.
A trust is where land legally transfers from one man to another, with an understanding that the transferee will hold it for the benefit of the former. - Similarly, the muscles will not grow in length unless they are attached to tendons and bones so that as the body lengthens the bones, it stretches them.
Similarly, the muscles will not grow in length unless they are attached to tendons and bones so that as the bones lengthen, they stretch. - The crystallization of enzymes occurs by a method called electrophoresis in which scientists separate molecules according to their size and their electric charge.
The crystallization of enzymes occurs by a method called electrophoresis which separates molecules according to their size and their electric charge. - The body multiplies the cells multiply by dividing them and this usually requires cell growth, the cells doubling in size before dividing in two.
Cells multiply by dividing and this usually requires cell growth, the cells doubling in size before dividing in two. - The government increased road tax in June.
Road tax increased in June.
