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In a message dated 95-08-28 12:10:24 EDT, WBURNS -at- VAX -dot- MICRON -dot- COM (Bill Burns)
writes:
>Verbs that take a direct object are transitive verbs. I used to think that
>"display" was strictly transitive, but it's now acceptable (according to
some
>dictionaries) to use it without an object (for example, "The paragraph
>designer window displays").
Techwhirlers:
Please correct me if I am wrong, but isn't "displays", as used in the
above sentence, the plural of the noun, display (display...-n. 2. Anything
that is exhibited or displayed. -- American Heritage Dictionary.)? To be a
verb, the sentence would have to be rewritten, "The paragraph designer window
displays elan." I suppose one would visit a paragraph designer window at a
technical writing trade show. : )
Grammatically yours,
J.P.
