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Ellen Tsai
A grammer question about passive voice and active voice
There is a sentence like this: The insect is too difficult to see without using the microscope.
Why it can't be like this: The insect is too difficult to be seen without using the microscope.
Thank you!
26 يناير 2011 04:55
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Answers · 3
too difficult to see
to difficult to + verb ... has a passive voice meaning, but the verb is not in the passive voice.
Likewise: too easy to do; too hot to touch; to ugly to look at; etc
26 يناير 2011
The active voice version of your sentence would be, "One can't see the insect [without difficulty] without a microscope." Your second version is the correct passive form: we use the past participle form of the verb ("seen") in passives. The first version almost sounds like the INSECT cannot see without difficulty unless it uses a microscope!
26 يناير 2011
actively passive voice:
You will be chewed out by me. :P
26 يناير 2011
