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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar
Causative passive
Dear friends,
I have a question about causative verb in passive voice.
Here it is:
Mom made me mop the floor.
= I was made to mop the floor.
But..
Is it ok if I change "make" to "had"? (since have is one of causative verbs)
"I was had to mop the floor. "
It sounds weird, but is it correct.
Thanks!!
I have a question about causative verb in passive voice.
Here it is:
Mom made me mop the floor.
= I was made to mop the floor.
But..
Is it ok if I change "make" to "had"? (since have is one of causative verbs)
"I was had to mop the floor. "
It sounds weird, but is it correct.
Thanks!!
Top answer
It sounds weird because many active verbs we simply do not use in passive, even though it can theoretically be done. That is the basic problem with the Active-Passive Conversion exercises that some ESL teachers seem to love (probably because they are so simple to prepare).
- It sounds weird because many active verbs we simply do not use in passive, even though it can theoretically be done.
- That is the basic problem with the Active-Passive Conversion exercises that some ESL teachers seem to love (probably because they are so simple to prepare).
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6 Answers
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It sounds weird because many active verbs we simply do not use in passive, even though it can theoretically be done. That is the basic problem with the Active-Passive Conversion exercises that some ESL teachers seem to love (probably because they are so simple to prepare).
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Mom didn't have to make you mop the floor. She told you to mop the floor, and you were told to do so.
" I was had to mop the floor" makes no sense.
To be had - means to be fooled or tricked.
" I was had to mop the floor" makes no sense.
To be had - means to be fooled or tricked.
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No, it makes sense, and it is the passive form, 'be had to (do)'– it is simply very awkward and almost never used. Here is one reputable example:
No recourse was had to the comforting rituals of the genre, those depredations and confrontations that recur....
To be had (= to be tricked) is an idiom and is a different use of the wo
No recourse was had to the comforting rituals of the genre, those depredations and confrontations that recur....
To be had (= to be tricked) is an idiom and is a different use of the wo
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Hi !
Hopefully this will help! Nothing like an online English teacher like Steve
Hopefully this will help! Nothing like an online English teacher like Steve
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Just food for thoughts:
It's ok to change from "made" to "had"
For my son's 5th birthday, my wife made /had me dressed as a clown for the party.
And it's ok to say "I was made to dress up as a clown"
But it's absolutely not ok to say I was had to dress up as a clown.
It's ok to change from "made" to "had"
For my son's 5th birthday, my wife made /had me dressed as a clown for the party.
And it's ok to say "I was made to dress up as a clown"
But it's absolutely not ok to say I was had to dress up as a clown.
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