mrmreka
28-06-2010, 12:03 AM
The use of 'by', etc. + agent after a passive
An agent is a 'doer', i.e. the person or thing that performs the action indicated by the verb. By + agent in passive constructions tells us who or what did something
The window was broken by the boy who lives opposite
The window was broken by a stone
By + agent is only necessary when the speaker wishes to say (or the hearer has to know) who or what is responsible for the event in question. The position of by + agent at the end of a clause or sentence gives it particular emphasis
The window was broken by a slate that fell off the roof
Information can be given by means of phrases other than by + agent
This bridge was built in 1816/of stone/before the war. etc
By + agent is often used with the passive of verbs like build, compose, damage, design, destroy, discover, invent, make, wreck and write. Note how a question in the active is often answered by a passive, so that the important information (i.e. what the questioner wants to know) is emphasized by being at the end
Who composed that piece? - It was composed by Mozart
What destroyed the village? - It was destroyed by a bomb
Note the inclusion of by in questions with Who(m)
Who(m) was 'Bleak House' written by? - Dickens
With is often used with an agent, especially after past participles such as crammed, crowded, filled and packed
During the World Cup our streets were filled with football fans
But compare by + agent and with in: e.g
He was killed by a falling stone. (accidental
He was killed with a knife. (deliberate
__________________
An agent is a 'doer', i.e. the person or thing that performs the action indicated by the verb. By + agent in passive constructions tells us who or what did something
The window was broken by the boy who lives opposite
The window was broken by a stone
By + agent is only necessary when the speaker wishes to say (or the hearer has to know) who or what is responsible for the event in question. The position of by + agent at the end of a clause or sentence gives it particular emphasis
The window was broken by a slate that fell off the roof
Information can be given by means of phrases other than by + agent
This bridge was built in 1816/of stone/before the war. etc
By + agent is often used with the passive of verbs like build, compose, damage, design, destroy, discover, invent, make, wreck and write. Note how a question in the active is often answered by a passive, so that the important information (i.e. what the questioner wants to know) is emphasized by being at the end
Who composed that piece? - It was composed by Mozart
What destroyed the village? - It was destroyed by a bomb
Note the inclusion of by in questions with Who(m)
Who(m) was 'Bleak House' written by? - Dickens
With is often used with an agent, especially after past participles such as crammed, crowded, filled and packed
During the World Cup our streets were filled with football fans
But compare by + agent and with in: e.g
He was killed by a falling stone. (accidental
He was killed with a knife. (deliberate
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