29911
> 寝るばかりになっていた

I'm trying to understand how ばかりになっていた modifies the preceding verb. I can
think of two possibilities for the above sentence:  
a) I was just about to go to sleep (involuntary)  
b) I had just become/got ready to go to bed/sleep. (preparation)

Are either one of these correct (I'm favouring option a. since I think なる is
more about things that happen on their own and する is for when you bring about
an action)? If not, please explain meaning and use of ばかりになる. Can I use this
expression more generally? Thanks.
CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-17T23:50:35.857
29907
2015-12-18T03:03:31.090
2015-12-17T23:59:19.847
7944
7944
question
grammar
Verb followed by ばかりになる
> 寝るばかりになっていた

Depending on the context, this sentence can mean either one of:

  1. One had just got ready to go to bed. / One could go to bed at that time.  
(Usually used with あとは/もう/etc)

> 明日の旅行の準備を終え、あとは寝るばかりになっていた。

  2. One has become bedridden. / One has come to do nothing but lie in bed. 

> 病気が悪化し、最近は自宅で寝るばかりになっていた。

But it does not mean "(Having been in bed for an hour,) One was just about to
fall asleep".

* * *

["verb + ん + ばかり"](http://dictionary.goo.ne.jp/thsrs/17193/meaning/m0u/) means
"to be about to [verb]" or "almost [verb]", so you can probably say something
like this:

> (2日間眠らずに勉強を続け、)彼は今にも寝んばかり（or 眠らんばかり）だった。  
>  (After studying for 2 days without sleep,) He was about to fall asleep.

Although similar expressions seem to be [actually used by
some](https://www.google.co.jp/search?q=%22%E5%AF%9D%E3%82%93%E3%81%B0%E3%81%8B%E3%82%8A%22),
this looks strangely stilted to me. I would usually just say "彼は寝そうだった" or
"彼は眠りかけていた".
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2015-12-18T03:03:31.090
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2015-12-18T03:03:31.090
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answer