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Moon7296 Posted 15 years ago
Grammar

Passivisation

1. Paul could be seen in the mirrow.

2. It is regretted that she is pretty.

3. His head was shaken by the handsome doctor.

My book says the passive voice in #1 and #2 are correct even though they sound quite weird to me.

Then, should I understand #1 like someone could see Paul in the mirrow?

What about #2?

My book says #3 is not acceptable. Why not?
  

Top answer

Hi moon, First, mirror, not mirrow. 1. Yes, someone could see Paul.

— BarbaraPA

  • Hi moon, First, mirror, not mirrow.
  • 1.
  • Yes, someone could see Paul.
  • Paul thought he could slip into the bedroom and steal the earrings from the jewelry box.
  • What he did not realize was that he could be seen in the mirror, and another guest, on her way to use the powder room, did just that.
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8 Answers
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Hi moon,

First, mirror, not mirrow.

1. Yes, someone could see Paul.

Paul thought he could slip into the bedroom and steal the earrings from the jewelry box. What he did not realize was that he could be seen in the mirror, and another guest, on her way to use the powder room, did just that. The jig was up. Paul was not arrested, but he was greatly embarrassed and never in
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Hi,

thank you for your easy and understandable explanationEmotion: smile

Actually, I was surprised because I just reviewed your
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We can't see each other in the dark.

Can this be passivised: Each other can't be seen in the dark (by us)?
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moon7296We can't see each other in the dark.

Can this be passivised: Each other can't be seen in the dark (by us)?
This is conceptually reflexive, so there's no point in passivizing it.

In a way it's saying "We can't see us". The subject is the object. So when you passivize it, it becomes "We can't be seen by us", which says the same thing,
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Thank you CJ.

1. They cured the patient of the disease.

=> The patient was cured ot the disease.

2. They inform the villagers of the fact.

=> The villagers are informed of the fact.

But...

3. They saw the picture with his signature.

=> The picture was seen with his signature. (xx)

4. They found the key to th
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moon7296They saw the picture with his signature.
The phrase 'with his signature' goes with 'the picture', so the whole phrase 'the picture with his signature' is placed at the front:

The picture with his signature was seen (by them).

Likewise with 'the key to the door'. It, too, is treated as a single unit that moves to the fro
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1. His main office was entered on Main Street. (x)

2. His main offce on Main Street was entered.

It is said #1 is wrong.

Is #2 correct then? It sounds weird I think. But it may be OK?
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moon72962. His main offce on Main Street was entered.
...
Is #2 correct then? It sounds weird I think. But it may be OK?
It's technically correct, but it sounds weird because in the case of 'enter' it seems strange not to say who entered or how they entered. In other words, the weirdness may be due to the shortness of the sentence and the lack of co
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