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

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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 янв. 2011 г., 4:55

Ответы · 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 января 2011 г.

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 января 2011 г.