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Chocolate cake was made for me by my grandmother.

hirashin

Sempai
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8 Apr 2004
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Dear native English speakers,
which sentence(s) would sound natural and be used?
(1a) Chocolate cake was made for me by my grandmother.
(1b) Chocolate cake was made me by my grandmother.

(2a) A book was bought for Jim by Jane.
(2b) A book was bought Jim by Jane.

(3a) This watch was given to me by my father.
(3b) This watch was given me by my father.

(4a) This watch was given to Jane by my father.
(4b) This watch was given Jane by my father.

Thanks in advance.

Hirashin
 
Letter a in each set is more natural. I think the ones for letter b may not be grammatical. With the first one I would change the sentence to start with the word "this".
 
You have all of the "B" versions backwards, and as a result they sound completely different from what you intend:

1b sounds like your grandmother used cake to make you.
2b sounds like Jane bought Jim (as if Jim were an item at the store) for the book (as if the book were sentient).
3b sounds like your father gave you to the watch.
4b sounds like your father gave Jane to the watch.

Here are corrected versions:

1c. I was made chocolate cake by my grandmother.
2c. Jim was bought a book by Jane.
3c. I was given this watch by my father.
4c. Jane was given this watch by my father.

The A versions are all fine.
 
(1a) Chocolate cake was made for me by my grandmother.
Sounds natural to me

(1b) Chocolate cake was made me by my grandmother.
Doesn't sound natural at all, definitely need the "for" in there

(2a) A book was bought for Jim by Jane.
Sounds great :D

(2b) A book was bought Jim by Jane.
Doesn't sound natural, again you need the "for"

(3a) This watch was given to me by my father.
Sounds good

(3b) This watch was given me by my father.
Need the "to"

(4a) This watch was given to Jane by my father.
Sounds natural

(4b) This watch was given Jane by my father.
Doesn't sound natural

You need the prepositions in there!
 
You have all of the "B" versions backwards, and as a result they sound completely different from what you intend:

1b sounds like your grandmother used cake to make you.
2b sounds like Jane bought Jim (as if Jim were an item at the store) for the book (as if the book were sentient).
3b sounds like your father gave you to the watch.
4b sounds like your father gave Jane to the watch.

Here are corrected versions:

1c. I was made chocolate cake by my grandmother.
2c. Jim was bought a book by Jane.
3c. I was given this watch by my father.
4c. Jane was given this watch by my father.

The A versions are all fine.
Hello, but I believe Version A is more accurate than your version C. just saying....
 
Dear native English speakers,
which sentence(s) would sound natural and be used?
(1a) Chocolate cake was made for me by my grandmother.
(1b) Chocolate cake was made me by my grandmother.

(2a) A book was bought for Jim by Jane.
(2b) A book was bought Jim by Jane.

(start with crossing off those versions--not right at all)

Next, when people twist sentences around, rearranging the word order, they are usually doing it to emphasize something, by placing it early/first, giving it some priority.

My (more natural) version(s) of your (a) sentences would be something like this:

This is the chocolate cake that my mother made for me.
It was chocolate cake that my mother made for me.

This is the book that Jane bought for Jim.
It was this book that Jane bought for Jim.


For the #3 and #4 sentences:

(3a) This watch was given to me by my father.
(4a) This watch was given to Jane by my father.

I'd rephrase these as:

This is the watch that my father gave (to) me.
This is the watch that my father gave (to) Jane.


Or maybe a little less likely:

It's this watch that my father gave (to) me.
It's this watch that my father gave (to) Jane.


So the implicit suggestion here is that the dependent clause should not be passive--and trying to use the passive there is not a natural way of saying things.
 
Hello, but I believe Version A is more accurate than your version C. just saying....
The A versions and the C versions I offered mean the exact same thing. What do you mean by "accurate"? If you mean to assert that the C versions have different meanings, what is the difference you see?
 
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Dear native English speakers,
which sentence(s) would sound natural and be used?
(1a) Chocolate cake was made for me by my grandmother.
(1b) Chocolate cake was made me by my grandmother.

(2a) A book was bought for Jim by Jane.
(2b) A book was bought Jim by Jane.

(3a) This watch was given to me by my father.
(3b) This watch was given me by my father.

(4a) This watch was given to Jane by my father.
(4b) This watch was given Jane by my father.

Thanks in advance.

Hirashin

(1a) The object "Chocolate Cake" does not have enough significant for you to talk that way.
This isn't Naruto passing on something to Boruto
(1b)I think you made an error and forgot to put "For", but same thing the object does not have enough significant.

(2a) Used from third party perspective, if when someone walk into the office speaking to the receptionist lady she would response in that way regarding say a package/book/whatever on her desk.
(2b) You forgot to put "for" again and this one makes me think there was a reason why Jane bought the book for Jim.

(3a)It sounds normal but also keep in mind the person who say this emphasize the act of his/her father giving them the watch. I wouldn't say that in front of other kids at school unless I want to be bullied.
I would just say "my dad gave me the watch"

I'm just going to skip (3b)

(4a)In the modern time we live in today you don't want use statements like this which could cause misunderstanding. People make assumptions... a watch is a very personal gift here in NA


Edit: Don't take anything I say too seriously :p
I dropped out of high school and I work as a laborer for UPS(union job)
 
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@Habaek

You should refrain from offering corrections on English usage. Your own English is loaded with glaring errors.
 
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