focus

Hi,

"I am so focused on the movie"

Is it a correct sentence? It seems wrong to me...because I learned that "focus" is a intransitive verb. Thus, if I say "I focus on the movie"..is it wrong?
But I know that the sentence "I am so focused on the movie" is correct because I heard that in the TED...I am confused..please help me.

Thanks.

layla0302 said:

Hi,

"I am so focused on the movie"

Is it a correct sentence? It seems wrong to me...because I learned that "focus" is a intransitive verb. Thus, if I say "I focus on the movie"..is it wrong?
But I know that the sentence "I am so focused on the movie" is correct because I heard that in the TED...I am confused..please help me.

Thanks.

Click to expand...

I don't know what TED is, or whether the fact that you heard it there means it's right; but it is right.
You need to revise your understanding of transitive/intransitive verbs.
In your sentence, "focused" is intransitive. However, it can be transitive, say in "I focussed the camera lens". (I write focussed)

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/focussed

Raymott said:

I don't know what TED is, or whether the fact that you heard it there means it's right; but it is right.
You need to revise your understanding of transitive/intransitive verbs.
In your sentence, "focused" is intransitive. However, it an be transitive, say in "I focussed the camera lens". (I write focussed)

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/focussed

Click to expand...

Do you mean that "focused" is a intransitive verb? But in the sentence(I am so focused on movie), it is used in passive form and I have learned that intransitive verb can't be used in passive form..I am confused..

layla0302 said:

Do you mean that "focused" is a intransitive verb? But in the sentence(I am so focussed on the movie), it is used in passive form and I have learned that intransitive verb can't be used in passive form..I am confused..

Click to expand...

What makes you think that it's passive?

layla0302 said:

Do you mean that "focused" is a intransitive verb? But in the sentence(I am so focused on movie), it is used in passive form and I have learned that intransitive verb can't be used in passive form..I am confused..

Click to expand...

No, I mean that if you go to the link I've given you, you'll see that it can be either. In your sentence, ("I am so focused on the movie"), it's intransitive because it doesn't have a direct object. And that sentence is in the active voice. A passive voice version, if it were permissible, would be "The movie is being so focussed on by me". But that isn't a good sentence.

I'll amend my advice: You need to revise your understanding of transitive/intransitive verbs and active/passive voice.

Raymott said:

I don't know what TED is

Click to expand...

May or may not be related to TED talks.

layla0302 said:

Do you mean that "focused" is a intransitive verb? But in the sentence(I am so focused on movie), it is used in passive form and I have learned that intransitive verb can't be used in passive form..I am confused..

Click to expand...

It's not passive. If anything you could say it is a past participle, i.e. focussed, which has been used as an adjective in this context.

Its use would be similar to interested in:
e.g. I was interested in the film.


They focussed their attention on the film (transitive/active).
Their attention was focussed (by them/by someone) on the film (passive).


The teacher interested his students in a new project (transitive/active)
The students were interested (by the teacher/by someone) in a new project (passive).


I hope it's clear enough.

bhaisahab said:

What makes you think that it's passive?

Click to expand...

Oh, I just think that I am so focused.. <--that is that passive form because it has both be verb(am) and past present(focused)...

I was fascinated by the dancer <--- I think it is also a passive form because it has (was) and (fascinated) ...am I wrong?

Thanks

layla0302 said:

Oh, I just think that I am so focused.. <--that is that passive form because it has both be verb(am) and past [STRIKE]present[/STRIKE] participle(focused)...

I was fascinated by the dancer <--- I think it is also a passive form because it has (was) and (fascinated) ...am I wrong? No, this is right. "The dancer fascinated you" is the equivalent active voice.

Thanks

Click to expand...

BUT, in 'I am so focussed", 'focussed' is an adjective - albeit a participial abjective. But no one has focussed you. It's different grammar from the sentence "The lens was focussed by a small knob" or "I was fascinated by the dancer" - they are past participles.