Real Grammar - Susan Conrad, Douglas Biber 2009

Passive Verb + Preposition
Unit 18 Further details can be found in…

What have you learned from your grammar textbook?

Passive voice verbs can be followed by a prepositional phrase that expresses the agent of the action (see Unit 17). These prepositional phrases use by:

• This table was made by my grandfather.

What does the corpus show?

A

In informational writing (newspaper and academic writing), certain passive verb + preposition combinations are very common. These combinations use prepositions other than by.

Frequency information. Here is a list of common passive verb + preposition combinations in informational writing:

B

Passive verb + preposition combinations fulfill important functions for writing. These are four of the most common functions and their most common combinations:

Activities

1 Notice in context: Read this news report about airport noise. Circle the passive verb + preposition combinations.

Pilots, airlines and community groups have agreed on a drastic noise reduction plan for Seattle- Tacoma International Airport, which is known as “Sea-Tac.” Irene Jones, a community leader, said the agreement could cut noise in half. However, no specific action is required for the immediate future. Major airlines also have been looking for clear standards on noise levels at airports, as well as a timetable for eliminating older, noisier airliners. Neither is found in the new policy.

2 Analyze discourse: Read these examples of informational writing, underline all the passive verb + preposition combinations that are used as main verbs. Then describe the function of each passive verb + preposition combination (using the information in Section B). Be as specific as possible. Write your description on the line.

1. The loss of heat is shown in Figure 2.3. indentifies a place within the text

2. The occupations were classified as unskilled, or semi-skilled, so it is no surprise to find that they were almost always badly paid.

3. Lycra is Du Pont’s trade name for the elastic fiber spandex. It is used in such clothing as swimsuits and leotards.

4. Three major manufacturers, Krups, Braun, and Sanyo, have recently introduced versions of juice extractors that can be found in most department and cooking stores. These units perform well and are easy to clean.

5. The results presented in this chapter are based on 624 completed student questionnaires returned by the organizers of 55 advanced courses.

6. The now-defunct secret police agency was known as DINA. The woman admitted she is a former agent, and said she traveled to the United States under the assumed name of Liliana Walker.

3 Practice the structure: Complete these informational passages with the correct prepositions after the passive verbs.

1. The Chewong are a hunter-gatherer people who are found ... the tropical rain forest of the Malay Peninsula. Linguistically and culturally they are related ... the Semai people. The Malaysian aboriginals are usually classified ... non-violent, non-aggressive, and peaceful.

2. A long message from the Eagle Snack Company’s president is included ... the Cape Cod Potato Chip package. It states the benefits of using canola oil and is linked ... an offer to replace the product if consumers aren’t satisfied. A bar graph is found ... the package, comparing the saturated-fat content of its canola oil with sunflower oil, corn oil, and soybean oil. Eagle’s use of canola oil is confined ... its Cape Cod Chips sold in the Pacific Northwest. An official of Eagle Snacks said it’s unclear how much canola oil might be used ... other products. The decision to use other ingredients will be based ... consumer interest in lower levels of saturated fats.

4 Practice writing: Rewrite each sentence using the passive verb + preposition combination in parentheses. Use the correct form of be in each sentence.