0
Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

PASSIVE

How should I put this active sentence into passive?

Tom will send a telegram to Peter tomorrow.

Peter will be sent a telegram by Tom tomorrow.

or

Peter will be sent a telegram tomorrow by Tom

Thank you so much for your help. Sometimes the easiest things turn into the most complicated...
  

Top answer

The order of the prepositional phrase "by Tom" does not matter. Either one is correct.

— AlpheccaStars

  • The order of the prepositional phrase "by Tom" does not matter.
  • Either one is correct.
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.

5 Answers
0
The order of the prepositional phrase "by Tom" does not matter. Either one is correct.
0
0
I would have suggested that the telegram is the direct object, and therefore it should be the subject of the passive sentence: A telegram will be sent ... with the sender and recipient in either order.
0
0
Hi GG
Yes, telegram should rightfully be the subject. But it really sounds terribly awkward...

A telegram will be sent to Peter by Tom tomorrow.
0
0
Oh heavens, yes, it IS awkward.

One day when I'm dead and have a chance to have my "explain the mysteries of the universe" conversation with ***, one of my questions will be "Why, oh WHY do people learning English have this unholy fascination with unnatural passive constructions that no native would ever say?" This is a mild one compared to some of them!
0
0
I think that the fascination is more on the side of the teachers than the students. It makes a fine theoretical exercise in sentence manipulation, but does it actually help the students, or hinder them?
0

Related Questions