Date:  Fri, 7 Apr 1995 08:35:53 -0700

From:  Peter McGraw <pmcgraw[AT SYMBOL GOES HERE]CALVIN.LINFIELD.EDU>

Subject: Re: needs + present participle



On Fri, 7 Apr 1995, Gregory J. Pulliam wrote:



> Now I'm doubting my own recollections. Several have written that "X needs

> a washing" is grammatical in their dialects. Is "X needs washing" grammatical

> in the dialects of anybody? I'm not alone out here, am I?

> Greg Pulliam

>

No, Greg, you're not alone. When I first saw the message about

"needs a washing," I wondered at it, but thought I'd sit this one out.

For me, at least, "needs washing" is the normal, neutral form. "Needs a

washing" is more likely to be used, usually with the adjective "good", to

form an intensified version of the construction, e.g., "What THIS car

needs is a good washing!"



Peter McGraw

Linfield College

McMinnville, OR