[Grammar] accompany

Status
Not open for further replies.

KJOU

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2021
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Korean
Home Country
South Korea
Current Location
South Korea
I am always confused about the usage of the word, "accompany."

Which one is correct? I have no idea about the difference between passive and active.

The changed process will (accompany/be accompanied by) negative consequences.
 

Tarheel

VIP Member
Joined
Jun 16, 2014
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
American English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
No. Try:

The changed process will result in negative consequences.
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
That's not a natural context for "accompany". Let's use a more natural and likely context.

The boy will accompany his mother.
The boy will be accompanied by his mother.

Both sentences are grammatically correct but the meaning is different. In the first, the emphasis is on the mother, who is going somewhere, and her son is going to go with her. In the second, the emphasis is on the boy, who is going somewhere, and his mother is going to go with him.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
Are you sure that the changed process will not cause/result in negative consequences?
 

Phaedrus

Banned
Joined
Jul 19, 2012
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
I am always confused about the usage of the word, "accompany."

Which one is correct? I have no idea about the difference between passive and active.

The primary element (the singer, for example) is accompanied by the secondary (the piano); the secondary element (the piano) accompanies the primary (the singer).
 

KJOU

Junior Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2021
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
Korean
Home Country
South Korea
Current Location
South Korea
I appreciate your explanation.
Based on what you said, I can say " The king accompanied his guards." or " The king was accompanied by his guards."

What about " His mother will accompany the boy" ?
 

emsr2d2

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Jul 28, 2009
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
UK
I appreciate your explanation.
Based on what you said, I can say "The king accompanied his guards no full stop here" or "The king was accompanied by his guards."

What about "His mother will accompany the boy"?

Your first example is grammatically correct but unnatural. The second is natural. The third is OK as long as "His mother" isn't the mother of the boy at the end of the sentence, and if the person who "His" refers to has already been mentioned.

Please remember that we do not put a space after opening quotation marks or before a question mark.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top