3.65 restrictions on ergative subjects

Note that some verbs are used ergatively with one or two nouns only. For example, you can say 'He fired a gun' or 'The gun fired'. You can also say 'He fired a bullet', but you would not normally say 'The bullet fired'.

• I rang the bell.
• The bell rang.
• A car was sounding its horn.
• A horn sounded in the night.
• He had caught his sleeve on a splinter of wood.
• The hat caught on a bolt and tore.

3.66

Here is a list of verbs which can be used ergatively with the noun, or kind of noun, that is given:

• catch (an article of clothing), fire (a gun, rifle, pistol), play (music), ring (a bell, the alarm), show (an emotion such as fear, anger), sound (a horn, the alarm)