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1. "The book was read by Bob with a flashlight"
This is passive voice, however, "with a flashlight". It modifys how Bob read the book.

How about "The book was read by a man with a flashlight"
Now, this literally sounds as if the phrase can be both, which it's not suppose to be!

3. "There will be no homework on Saturday"
I know that "on Saturday" is an adverb prep. phrase? But I'm wondering if that's correct, when an expletive is the subject.

4. "From Canada to the United States, the company has unfortunately gone bankrupt."

What are the functions of "From Canada to the United States."
Can someone give me some lessons or websites that answer these questions? Thanks.

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

BlackBlitz1.
(a) "The book was read by Bob with a flashlight".
This is passive voice, however, "with a flashlight". It modifies how Bob read the book.
How about (b) "The book was read by a man with a flashlight"
Now, this literally sounds as if the phrase can be both (both what?) , which it's not supposed to be!
There is no difference structurally between sentence (a) and sentence (b). Bob and the man are both objects of the preposition by. "With a flashlight" is the phrase under question. When a prepositional phrase could function either as an adverb or as an adjective, and the intent is ambiguous, it will be interpreted to modify the word that it is closest to. So in "the man with the flashlight," the phrase "with the flashlight" would be associated with "man" and it identifies that particular man who read the book. It is functioning as an adjective. The same is true for "Bob" structurally, but, because it doesn't say "the Bob with the flashlight" (the Bob meaning one of many guys named Bob), the "modification connection" is uncertain. Sentence (a) has poor grammar.
Also, you cannot read a book with a flashlight, you read it with your eyes. So the correct sentence (a) is: The book was read by Bob with the aid of a flashlight. There is no more confusion. In active voice, you can say "Bob read the book by flashlight. " It is distasteful and ugly, but probably grammatically OK to write something like "The book was read by flashlight by Bob."

3. "There will be no homework on Saturday"
I know that "on Saturday" is an adverb prep. phrase? But I'm wondering if that's correct, when an expletive is the subject. >> Yes, it's OK.

4. "From Canada to the United States, the company has unfortunately gone bankrupt."
What are the functions of "From Canada to the United States." >> These prepositional phrases answer the question "where?" so they are adverbial. But the sentence is not well written.

Can someone give me some lessons or websites that answer these questions? Thanks. I did give you a link to the Purdue Online Writer's Lab in an earlier post. Are you reading the answers to your posts?

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