Thank you, John. As far as Ryans knowledge is concerned, I think so too. Actually, I also know the "hidden agent" thing. As wrote last time, I wanted (and still want) to create a type of exercises on which the learner could practise the Subject/Direct object/Indirect object/Agent movements, shifts or transformations. As you've seen, my biggest problem has been the inappropriate usage of certain verbs and collocations, which either sound odd when transformed into passive by me, or cannot be used like that at all.
Could somebody possibly make me a list of those verbs which CAN be used in the following form? Please, I'd be very very greateful and thankful and pleeeaaased :)
Structure:
[Indirect object] [verb in the passive] [direct object] [...]
Example:
Petr is being done a favour...
Thank you for all the advice you've given me so far and thank you in advance for everything you advise :)
Petr
2005/12/16, [EMAIL PROTECTED] <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>:
Hi Petr,
Ryan knows his stuff about active and passive voice. I agree with
everything he said, and would add one thing which he implies but I
don't think says directly:
Some people (especially professors and bureaucrats) intentionally use
passive voice because it allows the subject---the person who does the
thing---to be hidden.
Example (politician): "Revenues must be increased and deficits reduced
in the next year and some households will be negatively impacted" ...
is quite deceptive, as it really means
"We must raise taxes in the next year and this tax-increase will hurt
some households."
Take care,
John
