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Egerol1 Posted 16 years ago
Grammar

A little word makes trouble for me!

Hello ,
In my computer when I was downloading something I saw a sentence.
It was telling me the files I had to download and it was saying:
the files to be updated
I want to know what the difference is between: "files to update" and
"files to be updated"? I mean what is "be" doing there? What is its role there?
Thanks for your help!
  

Top answer

Hi, the be here is used because a passive form is required. The user must update these files (active) These files must be updated (by the user) (passive) The passive voice is used when the subject isn't important, or is unknown. So, files to be updated means files that must be updated (eg.

— Tarirotari

  • Hi, the be here is used because a passive form is required.
  • The user must update these files (active) These files must be updated (by the user) (passive) The passive voice is used when the subject isn't important, or is unknown.
  • So, files to be updated means files that must be updated (eg.
  • by th user)
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1 Answers
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Hi,
the be here is used because a passive form is required.

The user must update these files (active)
These files must be updated (by the user) (passive)

The passive voice is used when the subject isn't important, or is unknown.

So,
files to be updated

means
files that must be updated (eg. by th user)
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