0
Anonymous Posted 8 years ago
Grammar

Passive form

I have two questions about passive form of SVOO. (S V IO DO)

Q1

Some grammar websites (in Japanese) say only direct object can be subject.

For example, you can say

"I brought her a parcel." and also "A parcel was brought to her (by me)."

But you cannot say

"She was brought a parcel by me."


But how about

"She told me the news"?

"I was told the news (by her)" sounds OK to me. What do you think?

Also, is it acceptable to say "The news was told to me by her"?


Q2

If "I was told the news" is acceptable, is it SVO?



  

Top answer

" Both of those are fine—without 'by me'. We do not form passives with a personal pronoun as the manifest agent. anonymous "I was told the news (by her) " "The news was told to me by her "?

— Mister Micawber

  • " Both of those are fine—without 'by me'.
  • We do not form passives with a personal pronoun as the manifest agent.
  • anonymous "I was told the news (by her) " "The news was told to me by her "?
  • Without the pronoun agent, the first is common and the second is occasional.
  • anonymous If "I was told the news" is acceptable, is it SVO?
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.

2 Answers
0
anonymous"A parcel was brought to her (by me)."She was brought a parcel by me."

Both of those are fine—without 'by me'. We do not form passives with a personal pronoun as the manifest agent.

anonymous"I was told the news (by her)" "The news was told to me by her"?

Withou

0

Related Questions