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Eladio Posted 21 years ago
Grammar
What is the active of these passive?
Please, could anybody tell me what are the active voices of these two passive?
I think they haven’t active, but surely I’m wrong. Maybe there are many passive sentences without the correspondent active ones?
1) I want a letter written to her.
2) I’d like a car painted in red.
Thank you in advance,
Eladio
I think they haven’t active, but surely I’m wrong. Maybe there are many passive sentences without the correspondent active ones?
1) I want a letter written to her.
2) I’d like a car painted in red.
Thank you in advance,
Eladio
Top answer
I'll try! 1) I want someone to write a letter to her 2) I'd like a car that someone painted red, but they're pretty clumsy!
- I'll try!
- 1) I want someone to write a letter to her 2) I'd like a car that someone painted red, but they're pretty clumsy!
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11 Answers
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I'll try!
1) I want someone to write a letter to her
2) I'd like a car that someone painted red,
but they're pretty clumsy!
1) I want someone to write a letter to her
2) I'd like a car that someone painted red,
but they're pretty clumsy!
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Thank you pieanne. I've several questions:
1) is "painted in red" as I wrote, incorrect? => painted red?
2) I want a letter written to her. I think that "your active" is really an active one, but do not reflects what I wanted when I wrote "I want a letter written to her", because, maybe I want this letter (written say two years ago) to know what was written to her, and not that someo
1) is "painted in red" as I wrote, incorrect? => painted red?
2) I want a letter written to her. I think that "your active" is really an active one, but do not reflects what I wanted when I wrote "I want a letter written to her", because, maybe I want this letter (written say two years ago) to know what was written to her, and not that someo
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1) no, it's not incorrect; from google, I could say it's less frequent. I used it because I remember the Rolling Stones.
2) do you mean "I want a letter written by her?
3) I don't think so... I think even the most terrible passive form can always be made active with the help of "someone", "people" etc...
But then again, I'm not a teacher in this forum...
2) do you mean "I want a letter written by her?
3) I don't think so... I think even the most terrible passive form can always be made active with the help of "someone", "people" etc...
But then again, I'm not a teacher in this forum...
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Thank you pieanne. No, not "by her" but "to her". Please, consider this:
I'm a policeman, and I want to know what was written TO HER two years ago in order to know if she was threatened or something like this, so I want a letter written to her. Maybe the active is: I want a letter written by someone to her, BUT in this case, except for "by someone", the sentence is the same! And then again,
I'm a policeman, and I want to know what was written TO HER two years ago in order to know if she was threatened or something like this, so I want a letter written to her. Maybe the active is: I want a letter written by someone to her, BUT in this case, except for "by someone", the sentence is the same! And then again,
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OK, I get it now!
the, "I want a letter anybody wrote to her", but THEN I think the passive is better.
To avoid any confusion, why not try something like: "I want to get/have to get - or - Somebody get me a letter written to her!"? (The latter in you police context)
the, "I want a letter anybody wrote to her", but THEN I think the passive is better.
To avoid any confusion, why not try something like: "I want to get/have to get - or - Somebody get me a letter written to her!"? (The latter in you police context)
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1) I want a letter written to her.
2) I’d like a car painted in red.
What about?
1) I want someone to write her a letter.
2) I'd like a red painted car.
Ambiguous
I want the letter written to her.
a) I want the letter that someone wrote to her.
=> I want the letter that was written
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In the situation I’ve specified, I’d prefer to use:
Pieanne: I want a letter anybody wrote to her. Or:
Casi: I want the letter that someone wrote to her.
Now I think I get it!
Thank you both of you!
Pieanne: I want a letter anybody wrote to her. Or:
Casi: I want the letter that someone wrote to her.
Now I think I get it!
Thank you both of you!
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Maybe it would be better to say "I want the letter that X wrote to her".
If it's THE letter (defined), then it couldn't have been written by anybody (someone, non defined)?
If it's THE letter (defined), then it couldn't have been written by anybody (someone, non defined)?
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Dear friends from English Forums. For me, as a native Spanish speaker, is too difficult to say and understand a sentence like: She is written a letter.
Active:I write her a letter.
Passive: A letter is written to her = She is written a letter
Is this form: "She is written a letter" usual in spoken English or even native English speakers prefer to say (if they have to use
Active:I write her a letter.
Passive: A letter is written to her = She is written a letter
Is this form: "She is written a letter" usual in spoken English or even native English speakers prefer to say (if they have to use
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In English, you use the passive when the active subject is either unknow or unimportant.
"she was sent a letter": somebody (unknown) sent her a letter; the conversation is focused on the lady in question.
"she was given a present" : somebody (unknown or unimportant gave her a present); the most important here is the present, or the fact that she received a present, or the conversation i
"she was sent a letter": somebody (unknown) sent her a letter; the conversation is focused on the lady in question.
"she was given a present" : somebody (unknown or unimportant gave her a present); the most important here is the present, or the fact that she received a present, or the conversation i
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