[Grammar] The computer which is repaired by him is my friend's.

[ashleymoon]

Hi.

"The computer which is repaired by him is my friend's."
Is this sentence gramatically right?
If it is, how can I change the underlined part into active voice?

"The computer which he repairs is my friend's." or
"The computer which he has repaired is my friend's." ?
or both are right?

If "is repaired" means stative passive, then I know that the active voice should be "has repaired". But stative passive can be used with "by"? I guess only actional passive can be followed by "by+agent".

And if the action he repairs my friend's computer happens repeatedly, I guess "the computer which he repairs" sounds right.

Please help me with these questions.

Thanks in advance,
Ashley.

 

[MikeNewYork]

In many cases, the passive voice is clunky and creates unnatural sentences. Your opening sentence is an example. If you want to change to the active voice, don't start the sentence with object of the action. Start it with the doer of the action.

He repaired my friend's computer.

 

[Tdol]

How about:
The computer he repaired belongs to my friend.

 

[ashleymoon]

Thank you for your advice.

I'd also like to know if the opening sentence sounds right or grammtically correct.

 

[Barb_D]

It is "correct" but no native speaker would every say it.

It means there is a computer that is repeatedly repaired by someone, and that the computer belongs to your friend.
(I also use "that" not "which" for this construction.)

 

[Tdol]

(I also use "that" not "which" for this construction.)

They're both fine to me as a BrE speaker.

 

[Barb_D]

I accept that the "that/which" differentiation now exists largely in my head, but I will continue to use "that" for restrictive and "which" for non-restrictuve until senilty sets in.

I know it falls into that category of "changes I agree with show the language is evolving and changes I disagree with show the language is devolving" but at least I accept that about myself.

 

[Tdol]

It's a distinction that doesn't exist in BrE, but many AmE speakers do the same as you. I don't know whether we ever made the distinction, but it hasn't been there in my lifetime.

 

[MikeNewYork]

It has been a convention in AmE for a long time that "which" is used for non-restrictive clauses and "that" is used for restrictive clauses. And many AmE speakers follow that convention. It should never have been a "rule' but it was often treated as if it were.