passive voice

Anonymoushe says he does the work

Passive voice??? Don't do it. It is just as awful as eating sand, and the meaning gets mangled.

"He does the work" was said by him.

That the work was done by him was said by him.

This is an example of terrible English.

CliveThis is an example of terrible English.

But judging from the posts we get from India, the people, particularly the English teachers, in that part of the world are mad about passivizing every sentence they read. Or is that 'every sentence read by them'?

CalifJimBut judging from the posts we get from India, the people, particularly the English teachers, in that part of the world are mad about passivizing every sentence they read.

Perhaps they are under the impression that passivity is less direct, and therefore, more polite.

More politeness in forced passive voice is not discerned by me, only degrees

AlpheccaStarsPerhaps they are under the impression that passivity is less direct, and therefore, more polite.

Au contraire, mon amie!

It is a purely mechanical process, easily judged correct or not, thus easily graded "objectively". Hundreds of such exercises can be assigned to keep a class quiet and busy (the real goal) while the teacher congratulat

CalifJimIt is a purely mechanical process, easily judged correct or not, thus easily graded "objectively".

Is that where the "let-as-a-passive-form-of-the-imperative" came from?

AlpheccaStarsIs that where the "let-as-a-passive-form-of-the-imperative" came from?

That would be my guess. Something still left over from the days before independence from the British. I wouldn't be surprised if textbooks from the early twentieth century in Britain advised the "let" form as the passive imperative. Maybe our British friends who know the his

CalifJimAu contraire, mon amie!

Mon amie?

Oui. C'est "mon" devant une voyelle. "*ma amie" n'existe pas.

CJ

Je l'avais oublié. Mon français est très rouillé.