passive

[hela]

Dear teachers,

Would you please correct my answers?

Turn the following sentences into the passive form.

1. I want you to complete this work on time.
a) I want this work to be completed on time.
b) This work should / ought to / must be completed on time.

2. Not so long ago people thought that one could catch AIDS just by shaking hands.
a) Not so long ago, it was thought that AIDS could be caught just by shaking hands.
b) Not so long ago, AIDS was thought to be caught just by shaking hands. (correct / incorrect?)

3. People felt that he was a bad influence.
a) It was felt that he was a bad influence.
b) He was felt to be a bad influence. (meaning?)
c) He was felt to have been a bad influence. (meaning? Is it incompatible with the initial stce?)

Thank you so much for your help.
Hela

[Tdol]

• 1. I want you to complete this work on time.
  a) I want this work to be completed on time.
  b) This work should / ought to / must be completed on time.

These are OK

• 2. Not so long ago people thought that one could catch AIDS just by shaking hands.
  a) Not so long ago, it was thought that AIDS could be caught just by shaking hands.
  b) Not so long ago, AIDS was thought to be caught just by shaking hands. (correct / incorrect?)

a) is correct. b) doesn't work.

• 3. People felt that he was a bad influence.
  a) It was felt that he was a bad influence.
  b) He was felt to be a bad influence. (meaning?)
  c) He was felt to have been a bad influence. (meaning? Is it incompatible with the initial stce?)

All are correct. The difference between b) and c) is that in time- c) suggests that the person stopped being a bad influence.

[hela]

Dear TDOL,

Would you please tell me what is wrong about:

"Not so long ago, AIDS was thought to be caught just by shaking hands. "?

What exactly doesn't work?

Thank you so much.
Hela

[MikeNewYork]

Originally Posted by hela

Dear TDOL,

Would you please tell me what is wrong about:

"Not so long ago, AIDS was thought to be caught just by shaking hands. "?

What exactly doesn't work?

Thank you so much.
Hela

Part of what doesn't work is the position of "just". It would be better as "by just shaking hands". The original implies that hand shaking was the only method of transmission.

I would prefer "transmitted" or "acquired" in place of "caught", but "caught" is OK, IMO. :wink:

[Tdol]

Even moving 'just' doesn't make it work that well to me. 'Trasmitted'works fine, though.