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His art collection appreciated greatly over a period of thirty years.

I am wondering the reason why the verb appreciate has not been used as following:

It would be appreciated...

Thanks in advance

1 Answer 1

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Appreciate has both transitive and intransitive uses.

  • As a transitive verb (which is required if you cast the sentence in the passive voice, be appreciated, as in your rewrite) it has a range of meanings: 'value, recognize or assess the value of, be grateful for'.

  • As in intransitive verb (which is how it is used in your first example) it means 'increase in value'.

    His art collection appreciated greatly means the value of his collection increased.

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  • Sir, since it uses 'over the period of years', shouldn't be there 'has been/had been'?
    – Maulik V
    Jan 5, 2015 at 12:25
  • @MaulikV Only if you are adopting a standpoint (a Reference Time) at the end of the period from which you look back at the period. The sentence might appear in a narrative with a 'running' RT: "In the 1940s he bought the works of then unknown artists like Pollock and de Kooning. Over the next thirty years his collection appreciated; by the 70s it was worth several million dollars." Jan 5, 2015 at 12:42

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