He was covered with a blue blanket.

[99bottles]

He was covered with a blue blanket.

A blue blanket covered him.

Context: I describe someone sleeping. Are both sentences OK? It occurred to me that, according to what you told me in an older thread a while ago, was covered might sound as if the blanket was being pulled towards him at that moment.

 

[jutfrank]

OK in what sense?

Neither sentence sounds as if the blanket is being pulled towards him. Here, covered expresses a state (not an action).

Which sentence you choose could depend on several factors. Remember that as a very general rule, we draw the reader's attention by placing focus with the subject of the sentence. These two sentences have different subjects, and therefore different focuses.

 

[99bottles]

OK in what sense?

Neither sentence sounds as if the blanket is being pulled towards him. Here, covered expresses a state (not an action).

Which sentence you choose could depend on several factors. Remember that as a very general rule, we draw the reader's attention by placing focus with the subject of the sentence. These two sentences have different subjects, and therefore different focuses.

Oh, I get it. Inchoative verb!

I want to focus on him sleeping.

 

[Tarheel]

Perhaps:

He was sleeping with his blue blanket covering him.

 

[5jj]

Oh, I get it. Inchoative verb!

Where did you get that idea from?

 

[99bottles]

Where did you get that idea from?

Cover.

 

[5jj]

As jutfrank told you, cover is a stative verb in that sentence. It can't be inchoative.

 

[99bottles]

as jutfrank told you cover is a stative verb in that sentence. It can't be inchoative.

Is it inchoative when it is used to mean put something over something?

 

[5jj]

No. If you are unsure about inchoative verbs, please ask about them in another thread.

 

[Tdol]

He was asleep under a blue blanket.