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Redkiddy Posted 21 years ago
Grammar

Passive but?

I am quotting this sentence from newspaper title

--National Guards executed in Kerkuk :12 killed, 1 injured

You see the meaning is passive but it isnt used in passive way. I think it should be

--National Guards were executed in Kerkuk :12 were killed , 1 was injured

I am expecting the moderators to enlighten me about this subject,,,thanks for now....
  

Top answer

Isn't this called ellipsis?

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  • Isn't this called ellipsis?
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4 Answers
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Isn't this called ellipsis?
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Newspaper headline writers often and typically leave out words. It's not at all unusual.

You are right that "were" and "was" were left out. Or, as a headline:

"WERE, WAS LEFT OUT!!!"
Read all about it!!!

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I think the reason this sentence doesn't seem right is that it is a headline.
Headlines in Newspapers often omit certain words to make them shorter, e.g.
'Factory Burns In Small Town', there are no articles and the sentence doesn't flow right.
In terms of grammar, you are correct, the sentence should read with 'were', but as this is a headline it does not follow normal rules
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--National Guards executed in Kerkuk :12 killed, 1 injured
You see the meaning is passive but it isnt used in passive way.

Hello Redkiddy

In addition to what has already been said:

It's true that the sentence has the look of an active sentence; at first glance, 'executed' could be mistaken for a simple past tense with 'National Guards
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