the construction was begun

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keannu

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Does "a construction was begun" make sense? It sounds weird, I think "a construction began" seems to make sense.
And "it will complete" doesn't make sense? Does it always have to "it will be completed"?

ex)In 2001, the construction of a cultural complex for the Spanish autonomous region of Galicia was begun. According to its architect, it will complete in 2012, taking about 11 years to build.
 

bhaisahab

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Does "a construction was begun" make sense? It sounds weird, I think "a construction began" seems to make sense.
And "it will complete" doesn't make sense? Does it always have to "it will be completed"?

ex)In 2001, the construction of a cultural complex for the Spanish autonomous region of Galicia was begun. According to its architect, it will complete in 2012, taking about 11 years to build.
"In 2001, the construction of a cultural complex for the Spanish autonomous region of Galicia was begun. According to its architect, it will complete in 2012, taking about 11 years to build." This is perfectly correct.
 

keannu

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"In 2001, the construction of a cultural complex for the Spanish autonomous region of Galicia was begun. According to its architect, it will complete in 2012, taking about 11 years to build." This is perfectly correct.

This is a serious issue as this is from an official English test in Korea, and it says "complete" must be changed to "completed" as a passive tense. Can you explain if "complete" and "completed" both work and if so, what is the delicate difference?
 

bhaisahab

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This is a serious issue as this is from an official English test in Korea, and it says "complete" must be changed to "completed" as a passive tense. Can you explain if "complete" and "completed" both work and if so, what is the delicate difference?
"complete" could be changed to "be completed", there is no difference in meaning. Equally, you could say "the work will finish" or "the work will be finished".
 

bhaisahab

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I am buying a house at the moment, the purchase will complete on the 8th of July. I could say "the purchase will be completed", the meaning would be the same.
 

keannu

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"
I am buying a house at the moment, the purchase will complete on the 8th of July. I could say "the purchase will be completed", the meaning would be the same.

This is a question from a workbook, and its explanation about this question is that as "complete" is a transitive verb in need of an object, it needs either an object or needs to be transformed to passive voice. So either "complete the contruction" or "it will be completed", and I'd like to follow the opinion of a native like you, but still something is uncomfortable.

ex)According to its architect, it will complete in 2012
 

5jj

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This is a question from a workbook, and its explanation about this question is that as "complete" is a transitive verb in need of an object, it needs either an object or needs to be transformed to passive voice. So either "complete the contruction" or "it will be completed", and I'd like to follow the opinion of a native like you, but still something is uncomfortable.

ex)According to its architect, it will complete in 2012
Personally, I agree with your workbook.

However, bhaisahab is right; people do use 'complete' in this way these days, and it is generally accepted. The house must be a new build (- I don't like that, either).

Sigh.:roll:
 

Raymott

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Personally, I agree with your workbook.

However, bhaisahab is right; people do use 'complete' in this way these days, and it is generally accepted. The house must be a new build (- I don't like that, either).

Sigh.:roll:
I'm not surprised that keanu hasn't heard of "It will complete in 2012". I haven't either until now.
What will it complete? Itself?
 

5jj

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I'm not surprised that keanu hasn't heard of "It will complete in 2012". I haven't either until now.
This is a red-letter day for me. I have discovered somebody who is even more out of touch with modern wonders than I.;-)
 

bhaisahab

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I have to admit that there is only one example of "complete" being used in that way in the BNC but, I am buying a house in England at the moment and all the documents from the solicitor talk about completing by a certain date. Perhaps this use is restricted to the real estate/building world.
 
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