Page 422 - Practical English Usage 3ed - Michael Swan, Oxford

416
1
passives (5): verbs with prepositions look at. listen to. pay for etc
The objects of prepositional verbs can become subjects in passive structures. We have looked at the plan carefully. .... The plan has been carefully looked
at.
Nobody listens to her. .... She is never listened to.
Somebody has paid for your meaL .... Your meal has been paid for.
Note the word order. The preposition cannot be dropped.
I don't like to be shouted at. (NOT } Mlr', !:ike f6 be s/z(Htfeti.) For more about prepositions at the ends of clauses, see 452.
throw stones at. steal a bicycle from. give flowers to etc
If there is already a direct object, the second object (after the preposition) cannot become a passive subject.
They threw stones at him. .... Stones were thrown at him. (BUT NOT H-e was f,r.rr8ltffl 3't6"es tit.)
They stole a bicyclefrom him. .... A bicycle was stolen from him. (BUT NOT He was3t6lentI bieyele/fflrn.)
They poured water on us. .... Water was poured on us. (BUT NOT We were ,,(lured ftNltel' (Ill.)
Note that possessive nouns or pronouns cannot become passive subjects, either.
They called MrArcher's name. .... MrArcher's name was called. (BUT NOT Mf Areher was l!dme ettlletl.)
I broke her mirror. .... Her mirror was broken. (BUT NOT She was mi""(I' broken.)
give. send etc
Verbs like give, send, lend can have two objects with no preposition (e.g. They gave him a gold watch). For the passive of this structure (e.g. He was given a gold watch), see 415.
For structures with have + object + past participle (e.g. We had water poured on lIS), see 238, 512.3.
passives (6): it was thought that ••• clause objects: Nobody thought that she was a spy
Some sentences have clauses as their objects. These cannot normally become the subjects of passive sentences.
Nobody thought that she was a spy. (BUT NOT 1'htct she was tI SfJY was ffltJught by IllIbtJtiy.)
We felt that he was the right man for the job. (BUT NOT 1'htct he was . .. was felt.)
The newspapers say that his company is in trouble. (BUT NOT 1'htct his etJrnl'tmy is in trouble is s-aitl ...)
3
417
1
2
passives (5): verbs with prepositions 416
page 390