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Hsiaoyunh Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Passive voice

Are the sentences correct?

1. Bill saw the girls swim in the pool.

--> The girls were seen to swim in the pool by Bill.

2. Bill saw the girls swimming in the pool.

--> The girls were seen swimming in the pool by Bill.

3. Sam saw the girl bitten by a snake.

--> The girl was seen bitten by a snake by Bill.

To me, the third passive voice sounds strange. But how about:

People saw the girl bitten by a snake.

--> The girl was seen bitten by a snake.

Does it work?

Thanks for your time!!
  

Top answer

They're all okay, except the girl was bitten by Sam, not Bill. " I don't know if that conforms to your rules. I don't know what you've been taught, but I should think it's a tossup as to whether the seeing or the swimming comes first in numbers one and two - also whether to use the infinitive or the participle.

— Avangi

  • They're all okay, except the girl was bitten by Sam, not Bill.
  • " I don't know if that conforms to your rules.
  • I don't know what you've been taught, but I should think it's a tossup as to whether the seeing or the swimming comes first in numbers one and two - also whether to use the infinitive or the participle.
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35 Answers
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They're all okay, except the girl was bitten by Sam, not Bill.

I agree that #3 is awkward, and your substitute example is easier on the ear, and certainly correct

I'd probably say, "The girl was seen by Sam, being bitten by a snake." I don't know if that conforms to your rules.

I don't know what you've
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1. Bill saw the girls swim in the pool. ok

--> The girls were seen to swim in the pool [ by Bill] .Infinitive [to swim] is incorrect. [By Bill]is not necessary.
If you must include Bill in the sentence, I'd much prefer # 2

2. Bill saw the girls swimming in the pool.

--> The girls were seen swimming in the pool [by Bill.] ok

3. Sam saw the girl
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Goodman The girls were seen to swim in the pool [ by Bill] .Infinitive [to swim] is incorrect.
There's nothing wrong with the infinitive.

CB
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Cool Breeze
Goodman The girls were seen to swim in the pool [ by Bill] .Infinitive [to swim] is incorrect.
There's nothing wrong with the infinitive.

CB


Hi CB,

Please allow me to rephrase my previous comment.

Grammatically, your are right. There is nothing wrong to use infinitive i
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A more likely sort of passive sentence using the infinitive would be this:

- The girls were known to swim in the pool after hours.
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Thanks Amy. Exactly my point. The context dictates the use of proper form.
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hsiaoyunhAre the sentences correct?

1. Bill saw the girls swim in the pool.

--> The girls were seen to swim in the pool by Bill.

2. Bill saw the girls swimming in the pool.

--> The girls were seen swimming in the pool by Bill. Hi, guys. We sometimes have to read the teacher's mind. We've had examples lately in which stud
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Cool Breeze
Goodman The girls were seen to swim in the pool [ by Bill] .Infinitive [to swim] is incorrect.
There's nothing wrong with the infinitive.
CB

1. Bill saw the girls swim in the pool. OK
2. The girls were seen to swim in the pool [ by Bill ]
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Liat,
I find it amzazing that you still find this thread worthy of further discussion.

1. Bill saw the girls swim in the pool. OK This is completely gramamtical. Don't we agree?

2. The girls were seen to swim in the pool [ by Bill ] I would consdiered this sentence as the "agentless passive"
and if "by bill" is written into the sentence as was in the oe
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Goodman
If you bother to refer to English usage books, you will find sentences like the one being discussed.
To give you another example, many people are confused by "I saw a thief climb over the fence."  Why is 'saw' followed by 'climb'?
It becomes clearer why it is so if you change the sentence to the Passive Voice.
A thief was seen to climb over the fence. (This sentence may a
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