Can you say 'they were sat'?

[rlawrence]

Is it correct to say ' the engines were sat in the station'
Do you have to say 'the engines were sitting in the station'

If you can't say the former why can't you?

Thanks for your help

Ruth

[rewboss]

I would normally use the first construction for animate subjects only -- people or animals. Engines don't literally sit: for inaminate subjects, we use the verb "sit" to indicate that they are not performing any useful work but are merely getting in the way. In this metaphorical sense, we can't use the "to be sat" construction.