Does ～そう modify both verbs in a double-verb construction?


I heard the phrase:

> その男の子が車にひかれて死にそうだった。

When I head the V1てV2, I assumed that Verb 1 (ひかれて）had actually happened and
that Verb 2 (死にそう) was a consequence. But someone pointed out to me that the
そう from Verb 2 also applied to Verb 1. In other words, that Verb 1 had not
actually happened.

> **Japanese:** その男の子が車にひかれて死にそうだった。
>
> **English 1:** That boy **was** hit by a car and almost died.
>
> **English 2:** That boy was **almost** hit by a car (and would have been
> killed).

Which (if either) is correct? Does the そう always modify preceding verbs in a
double verb construction? Or is it a case where there is ambiguity?

Perhaps the addition of a comma （ひかれて、。。。）would indicate some difference?




This depends on the context.

Examples of そう applied to the _combination_ of two verbs:

  * あの子は天才だ。将来は **学者になってノーベル賞を取りそうだ** 。
  * いつもの時間に家を出たら、強い雪が降ってきた。 **電車が遅れて遅刻しそうだ** 。
  * 明日彼にこの話をしたら、彼は **ショックを受けて泣きそうだ** 。
  * **転んで怪我をしそう** な山道

Examples of そう applied only to the second verb (i.e., the first verb describes
a known fact):

  * オリンピックが **近づいて** 日本への観光客が **増えそうです** 。
  * 申し訳ありません、 **電車が遅れて遅刻しそうです** 。
  * 正直に彼に話をした。彼は **ショックを受けて泣きそうだ** 。
  * **ぬかるんで滑りそう** な山道

A comma tends to be used before the second verb if そう is applied only to the
second verb, but you cannot rely on this too much.

  * その男の子は車にひかれて、死にそうだった。  
(sounds like the boy was actually run over by a car)

[轢かれる](https://jisho.org/word/%E8%BD%A2%E3%81%8F) is an event which is likely
to cause a death (it's more serious than just being hit). Unless there is a
comma, people tend to treat 轢かれる and 死ぬ as a set.




This depends on the context.

Examples of そう applied to the _combination_ of two verbs:

  * あの子は天才だ。将来は **学者になってノーベル賞を取りそうだ** 。
  * いつもの時間に家を出たら、強い雪が降ってきた。 **電車が遅れて遅刻しそうだ** 。
  * 明日彼にこの話をしたら、彼は **ショックを受けて泣きそうだ** 。
  * **転んで怪我をしそう** な山道

Examples of そう applied only to the second verb (i.e., the first verb describes
a known fact):

  * オリンピックが **近づいて** 日本への観光客が **増えそうです** 。
  * 申し訳ありません、 **電車が遅れて遅刻しそうです** 。
  * 正直に彼に話をした。彼は **ショックを受けて泣きそうだ** 。
  * **ぬかるんで滑りそう** な山道

A comma tends to be used before the second verb if そう is applied only to the
second verb, but you cannot rely on this too much.

  * その男の子は車にひかれて、死にそうだった。  
(sounds like the boy was actually run over by a car)

[轢かれる](https://jisho.org/word/%E8%BD%A2%E3%81%8F) is an event which is likely
to cause a death (it's more serious than just being hit). Unless there is a
comma, people tend to treat 轢かれる and 死ぬ as a set.

