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Anonymous Posted 15 years ago
Grammar
Seen to do
Hello.
I would like to know what see in the following sentences means.
Would you give me a paraphrase?
(1)Det Sgt Simon Firth of Nottinghamshire Police said that when the boat capsized, the missing man tried to swim ashore.
"He was seen to go under the water as he swam towards the shore," he said. (BBC, Sunday, 27 February, 2000)
(2) The meteorite was seen to fall locally (one fragment crashed through the roof of a barn). But most spectacularly, when it was analyzed it was found to contain a range of common amino acids. (The Japan Times, Wednesday, July 9, 2008)
Thank you for your help.
I would like to know what see in the following sentences means.
Would you give me a paraphrase?
(1)Det Sgt Simon Firth of Nottinghamshire Police said that when the boat capsized, the missing man tried to swim ashore.
"He was seen to go under the water as he swam towards the shore," he said. (BBC, Sunday, 27 February, 2000)
(2) The meteorite was seen to fall locally (one fragment crashed through the roof of a barn). But most spectacularly, when it was analyzed it was found to contain a range of common amino acids. (The Japan Times, Wednesday, July 9, 2008)
Thank you for your help.
Top answer
(1) Det Sgt Simon Firth of Nottinghamshire Police said that when the boat capsized, the missing man tried to swim ashore. " He was seen to go (= Someone saw him go) under the water as he swam towards the shore," he said. ( BBC , Sunday, 27 February, 2000) (2) The meteorite was seen to fall (= Someone saw the meteorite fall) locally (one fragment crashed through the roof of a barn).
- (1) Det Sgt Simon Firth of Nottinghamshire Police said that when the boat capsized, the missing man tried to swim ashore.
- " He was seen to go (= Someone saw him go) under the water as he swam towards the shore," he said.
- ( BBC , Sunday, 27 February, 2000) (2) The meteorite was seen to fall (= Someone saw the meteorite fall) locally (one fragment crashed through the roof of a barn).
- But most spectacularly, when it was analyzed it was found to contain a range of common amino acids.
- ( The Japan Times , Wednesday, July 9, 2008) This is a common use of the passive voice: when the agent ('someone') is not important information.
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3 Answers
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(1) Det Sgt Simon Firth of Nottinghamshire Police said that when the boat capsized, the missing man tried to swim ashore. "He was seen to go (= Someone saw him go) under the water as he swam towards the shore," he said. (BBC, Sunday, 27 February, 2000)
(2) The meteorite was seen to fall (= Someone saw the meteorite fall) locally (one fragment crashed th
(2) The meteorite was seen to fall (= Someone saw the meteorite fall) locally (one fragment crashed th
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In these sentences, do you think that omitted subject “someone” directly perceived the events with his own eyes?
Thank you in advance.
Thank you in advance.
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