[General] I built my house 'for' an hour.

[nyota]

1. I built my house for an hour.

I heard it as an example of how some verbs can change class e.g. from activities to accomplishments:

I walked. (activity) --> I walked to the station. (accomplishment) - I have no problem with this one.
I built my house. (accomplishment) --> I built my house for an hour.(activity) (?)


Shouldn't it be either:

a/ I built my house in an hour. (and then there's no change of class, it's also an accomplishment) or
b/ I was building my house for an hour.

 

[5jj]

Shouldn't it be either:

a/ I built my house in an hour. (and then there's no change of class, it's also an accomplishment) or
b/ I was building my house for an hour.

Yes, though the second still sounds strange. We'd be more likely to say I was working on my house for an hour. The context would tell us that the work involved building.

Realistically, of course, the first is unlikely.

 

[nyota]

Realistically, of course, the first is unlikely.

Now that I've read it again, 'unlikely' sounds like a bit of an understatement. Thanks

 

[marmoset]

Now that I've read it again, 'unlikely' sounds like a bit of an understatement. Thanks

unless maybe it is a model house or a house of cards...

;-)