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TOSHI
Can anyone explain why can’t say a blue jacket decided instead of I decided on a blue jacket?
Please reply to me if you can answer. I will book a lesson with you. I would like to know the answer in a lesson.
Mar 5, 2023 10:31 AM
Answers · 7
3
You are confusing two different verbs.
'Decide' is an intransitive verb.
'Decide on' is a phrasal verb and is transitive.
You can't say 'the blue jacket decided' because you didn't say 'I decided a blue jacket'.
You can say 'the blue jacket decided ON'.
It would be more natural in a sentence like: '"The time decided on wasn't very convenient for me".
March 5, 2023
2
If you say "a blue jacket decided" then it would mean that the jacket had a mind of its own and made a decision. Which isn't possible for a non-living object. While in your second phrase "I decided on a blue jacket" it's clear that you're the one doing the choosing.
March 5, 2023
the first one is not a subject.
March 5, 2023
Plus, why in Japanese there are 2 different verbs (but family word) is another question, which should be directed to Japanese teachers.
March 5, 2023
Hmmm…so it seems I must understand there is no “Decide” to fit in the sentence “A blue jacket decided” meaning a blue jacket was decided on. I was wondering if there was a family word of “Decide” or “Decide” itself that would work like “a wind blew”. My wife is learning Japanese, and I learned in Japanese “I decided (kimeta) on the venue” and “the venue was decided (kimatta)” there are two different verbs. By the way, kimatta is not a passive verb for kimeta. It is just another (intransitive) verb. From this experience, I just don’t know why I can’t say the venue decided (or using some similar verb) to mean the venue was decided. Maybe this is English language. I would need to accept it.
Thanks and cheers,
March 5, 2023
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TOSHI
Language Skills
English, Japanese
Learning Language
English, Japanese
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