Why is this sentence ungrammatical?

Question

Mary told the cake to be cut by John.A textbook says the example is ungrammatical, but it seems to make sense to me: what does the sentence have its fault?

Clive · Accepted Answer

It's correct grammar. But the meaning does not make sense.

It means that Mary gave orders to the cake.

Clive

Anonymous · Answer

In English, the pattern, "____ told _____", is strongly associated with the subject in the first blank and the direct object in the second blank. For example, "Mary told John to cut the cake." (Since English is not a heavily inflected language, it depends a lot on word order to convery meaning.)

So with "the cake" in the second blank, it sounds too much like Mary is talking to the cake, telling the cake to allow itself to be cut by John - although what is being said can be figured out, with some difficulty, after one gets over this initial confusion.

Philip · Answer

eipjooA textbook says the example is ungrammatical,

Ungrammatical and nonsensical. Mary told John to cut the cake. / John was told by Mary to cut the cake. / Mary had John cut the cake. [ Take your pick. ]

Why is this sentence ungrammatical?

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