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The passive voice 2

hirashin

Sempai
Donor
8 Apr 2004
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Dear native English speakers,

Would someone proofread my sentences?
Do the following sentences sound unnatural?

(1) The cake on the table was eaten by Tom.

(2) My grandfather is loved by everyone.

(3) English is spoken by a lot of people in the world.

(4) That big tree was cut down by my father.

(5) This window was broken by Tom.

(6) These books are read all over the world.

(7) Kyoto is visited by a lot of people.

(8) This desk was made by my father.

(9) That boy is given ten thousand yen every week.

(10) These bikes are used by students.

(11) He was called Tom by his friends.

(12a) This product is made in Vietnam.
(12b) This product is produced in Vietnam.

Thanks in advance.

Hirashin
 
Hi,

My opinion as nonnative speaker:
1. Definitely sounds unnatural to me. I don't think anyone would use the passive voice for such a statement; "Tom ate the cake on the table" sounds much better. Eating a cake is generally an active thing to do, so the subject is usually important.
3. "English is spoken by lots of people around the world", sounds more fluent to me.
7. "Kyoto is visited by many", sounds better, I think. It feels to me like it's not necessary to specify it's people who visit Kyoto, since readers will not assume the statement is about cats ;)
12. If those statements are about a unique product that (e.g.) is in your possession, it is better to use "was made/was produced". If the statements are about a general line of products, not just the one, you can use the present tense, but I would opt to use plural then, "These ... are made/are produced".

Hope this helps, but you may want to wait for a second opinion.
 
(1) Is the only one that really sounds strange to me. I would say "Tom ate the cake on the table."

Uncle Frank
 
Thanks for the help, Uncle Frank. I appreciate it.

How about this?
(13) This chair was made by a Japanese artist.

Thank you for trying to help me, Wardibald. But you didn't have to.

Hirashin
 
Hahaha, that's all right, Uncle Frank. I'm not asking you about English literature or something.

You have been really helpful. Thank you very much.

Hirashin
 
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