0
Chevy Bel Air 01 Posted 19 years ago
Grammar

active and passive sentences

hello,

I have a couple of questions with reference to active and passive sentences.

A simple example
A.: He drove the car.
P.: The car was driven by him.
So far all right.

An another example
A.: A earthquake destroyed the hotel.
P.: The Hotel was destroyed by a earthquake (wrong).
The Hotel was being destroyed by a earthquake (correct).

Could anyone tell me the exceptional case?

thanks in anticipation

Cevy Bel Air 01
  

Top answer

#1 is correct. ) #2 is wrong.

— Yoong Liat

  • #1 is correct.
  • ) #2 is wrong.
Free · every Monday

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

New words, one handy idiom, and a 2-minute quiz — delivered to your inbox to keep your streak alive.

13 Answers
0
#1 is correct. (The hotel was destroyed by an earthquake.)

#2 is wrong.
0
0
The hotel was destroyed by an earthquake.
The hotel was being destroyed by an earthquake.

There's nothing wrong with either of these.
0
0
AlienvoordThe hotel was destroyed by an earthquake.
The hotel was being destroyed by an earthquake.

There's nothing wrong with either of these.

Grammatically, Yes, there is nothing wrong. However, the context does seem strange with " hotel was being being destroyed by the earthquake". An earthquake can destroy a structure in a blink of an eye. So "be
0
0
well, but when I must use " The hotel was being destroyed by an earthquake." I think this is past progressive but only in the passive voice. Probably, if I want underline a plot in the past?

Sincerly,

CBA01
0
0
what about these two sentences,
1. CAT CAN CLIMB THE TREEE.
2. He used to write a letter.
can it be changed into passive voice.
0
0
1 - answered elsewhere

2 a letter used to be written by him.
0
0
a letter was used to be written by him.
what about this one?
0
0
No, that is incorrect.

A letter was written by him. (simple past)

or

A letter used to be written by him (habitually).
0

Related Questions