Is it correct to use the present participle to describe what something does rather than only describing/modifying its current state?

teuast, 6 months ago

Both of those are really awkwardly constructed. If I’m reading it correctly, “works” is the state of the thing, and “producing stuff” is what the thing is supposed to do, and every construction I can come up with for this sentence that doesn’t feel super awkward puts the latter first.

AlexanderESmith, 6 months ago

@Kalcifer

If I'm honest; Neither of those sentences make any sense to me as a native English speaker (reader, in this case).

What idea are you trying to communicate? That there is a thing, and it works (Is functiobal? Is operating presenly?), and it produces stuff?

CaptObvious, 6 months ago

I think both of these are actually correct. They feel fine to me, although I’d probably tighten the first one to “It is a thing that produces stuff.”

Maybe it’s a dialect thing?

Kalcifer, 6 months ago

I’d probably tighten the first one to “It is a thing that produces stuff.”

That omits descriptive information though. The example includes the fact that the thing “works” which is how it “produces stuff”.

Maybe it’s a dialect thing?

It is certainly a grammatical issue.

confluence, 6 months ago

How about an infinitive? “It is a thing that works to produce stuff.”

Kalcifer, 6 months ago

Hm, while that does seem to fit, it feels as if its intent doesn’t necessarily align. To me, that is more of a description of it’s purpose rather than what it does.

confluence, 6 months ago

Ok, how about doubling up on the present participles? “The thing is working, producing stuff.”