From the Longman Student Grammar (Biber et. al.)
   "Although the long passive (with a by phrase)is much less common than
the short passive, it is similar in being most common in academic
writing, least common in conversation." Passives are rare in
conversation, relatively rare in fiction, much more common in
newswriting, most common in academic writing.

Craig>


 I think I recall Quirk et al saying that about 80% of passives do not
> contain a by-phrase.
>
> Ed S
>
> On Jan 10, 2011, at 5:37 PM, Craig Hancock wrote:
>
>> John, TJ,
>>    Another analysis would be that it is "complex transitive" with the
>> infinitive being the eqquivalent of what traditional grammar calls
>> "object complement."
>>    They helped us trawl...
>>    They made us trawl....
>>    They permitted us to trawl....
>>    They allowed us to trawl....
>>    They forced us to trawl...
>>
>>    Passive versions
>>
>>    We were made to trawl....
>>    We were helped to trawl...
>>    We were allowed to trawl...>
>>    We were forced to trawl....
>>
>>    I think we use this sort of agentless passive when the agency is
>> understood or not immediately important. "Smoking is permitted
>> only...." "Teachers aren't allowed to strike their students." If my
>> memory is correct, most passives in discourse are agentless.
>>
>> Craig
>> John,
>>>
>>> "Fishing vessels are now allowed to trawl within the previously
>>> restricted zone."
>>>
>>>
>>> Perhaps one more small note about this sentence and what functions as
>>> what in it?
>>>
>>> In reality, isn't the true subject of the sentence "Fishing vessels
>>> to
>>> trawl within the previously
>>> restricted zone"?  Return the verb to the active voice and this is
>>> what I think we get:
>>> "Someone allows fishing vessels to trawl with the previously
>>> restricted zone."  It is not the
>>> fishing vessels that are being allowed; it is the fishing vessels
>>> performing a specific task.
>>>
>>> tj
>>>
>>>
>>> On Monday 01/10/2011 at 3:55 pm, John Chorazy   wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Bruce, TJ – my initial sense was that "allowed" modified the
>>>> fishing
>>>> vessels, which were once restricted vessels but are presently
>>>> allowed
>>>> vessels; if the word permitted were used as a reasonable
>>>> substitute, I
>>>> might ask - what kind of vessels? permitted vessels, or allowed
>>>> vessels. But upon closer look it's obvious that the act "to trawl"
>>>> is
>>>> permitted or allowed, and any/all vessels are now allowed (by some
>>>> agent implied in the larger context where the sentence was found),
>>>> and
>>>> so your points are well taken. Thanks again...
>>>>
>>>> John
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web
>>> interface
>>> at:
>>>     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html
>>> and select "Join or leave the list"
>>>
>>> Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/
>>>
>>
>> To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web
>> interface at:
>>     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html
>> and select "Join or leave the list"
>>
>> Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/
>
> To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface
> at:
>      http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html
> and select "Join or leave the list"
>
> Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/
>

To join or leave this LISTSERV list, please visit the list's web interface at:
     http://listserv.muohio.edu/archives/ateg.html
and select "Join or leave the list"

Visit ATEG's web site at http://ateg.org/