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Grammar and Linguistics > PASSIVE: I am looking for very specific verbs …
PASSIVE: I am looking for very specific verbs …
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Ayaniw
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Hi! Frenchfrog.
May I just add the following comment about what our colleagues have just said?
I guess your problem is the use of the passive with verbs that have a Direct object and an Indirect object. Let me point out that most grammarians would say that in a case like this (i.e. in your example) and in most cases it is preferable to start with the INDIRECT OBJECT in the passive so your sentence would be:
She was bought a fur coat. (The doer ( the by phrase is not important here, even for the sake of identification).
I don�t agree with goodnesses when he says: "The verb "buy" is a transitive verb and as any transitive verb it can be used in the passive as well as in the active.", for the simple reason that not all transitive verbs can be changed into the passive.
e.g. She takes the bus to school every morning. "take" is a transitive verb but the sentence can�t be changed into the passive.
Zidane plays football very well. "play" is also transitive but the sentence can�t be changed into the passive.
Why?
Well, the 2 examples given above do not fit in any of the following cases:
A. THE THING DONE IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN THE DOER.
B. BOTH THE THING DONE AND THE DOER ARE IMPORTANT. (The doer is used for identification.)
C. THE DOER IS UNKNOWN.
D. WE DON�T WANT TO MENTION THE DOER. (i.e. we do this deliberately.)
In conclusion, your sentence fit in CASE A.
Active sentence ==> He bought her a fur coat. (here, the focus is on the subject (he/her boyfriend/her father...)
Passive sentence ==> She was bought a fur coat. (here, the thing done is more is more important than the doer.)
No one was expecting that someone would buy her a fur coat and finally one did. The question her friends would say would be "How come that she has got a fur coat!"
Finally, before changing a sentence into the passive, one should ask oneself the following question? Why should I use the passive? bearing in mind the cases mentioned above. The form comes after.
The following pattern S.V.O.O. (Subj. Verb Ind. Obj. Direct Obj.), when transformed into the passive it is preferable to start with the Indirect Object.
If the sentence doesn�t fit any of the cases above, DO USE THE ACTIVE.
My best regards. A.H. |
3 Oct 2008
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frenchfrog
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Hi, ayzman2! Thanks for your explanations! There are, indeed, a few transitive verbs that cannot be made passive:
There are a few transitive verbs�called middle verbs�that cannot normally be made passive, such as: fit, have, lack, resemble, and suit. Thus you can say That suit fits you but not You are fit by that suit; Our team lacks a good pitcher, but not A good pitcher is lacked by our team; and so on.
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3 Oct 2008
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Zora
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Actually, I�d like to point out that as a native speaker...French frog�s example sounded correct too, not forced at all... while the first one sounded forced but not grammatically incorrect, just very "correct" or old-fashioned...
Also, I�d like to say that in everyday English, we do use the passive form in English and quite A LOT. Especially if in the situation we don�t know who did the action, fon�t want to emphasize who did it or don�t place blame anywhere or on anyone...
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3 Oct 2008
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Tere-arg
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Hi frenchfrog!
"She was bought a coat" (or whatever...) is perfect.
Maybe it does not sound "natural" as we don�t usually apply a passive to this type of idea (bearing in mind passive is rather formal), but is quite correct.
My first tongue is Spanish and in my language we do not make the Indirect Object into the subject of the passive. That is why my students find that structure a bit weird at first, too.
In fact, the indirect object as subject of a passive is more common in English than the direct object
Smiles 
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3 Oct 2008
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goodnesses
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I do agree with you A.H and Frenchfrog
But I�d rather say there are some transitive verbs that can�t be used in the passive in some situations.
Example:
I absolutely agree that "Football is played by Ziddan." is not meaningful
So, what about "Football has been played in many countries since long ago." or "Football is played on a special yard" ?
PS Sorry for the mistake
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3 Oct 2008
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Olindalima ( F )
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Hello, Frenchfrog and all of you who are burning your brains
Well, I love these kind of challenges... Correct... ? wrong...??? old fashioned ... ?
I don�t know the answer, but as far as we regard this from a grammar point of view, I wouldn�t say it is wrong; however... it doesn�t make much sense, it seems to be a silly sentence. Anyway, I would�t mind to be the one that was given a fur coat, that would make a lot of sense to me.
Just to tease ... Frenchfrog, imagine... instead of a fur coat, a cake and instead of buy, cook, like this:
My boyfriend cooked me a cake.
So, I was cooked a cake ( by my boyfriend).
Happy weekend to all of you.
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3 Oct 2008
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goodnesses
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  Thanks to all
PS: Sorry my PC�s OS was OS |
3 Oct 2008
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