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WORD GRAMMAR
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Verb
- Conjugation in indicative
- Person and number
- Tenses
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- Noun
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Verb
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SENTENCE GRAMMAR
- Clause types
- Complex clauses
- Constituents of a sentence
- Sentence structure
- Word order in a sentence
- Negation
The agent
CA67
The subject of the active sentence is, as a rule, not mentioned in the passive sentence. If, however, we want to refer to the agent of the action in the passive sentence, we can do so by using a prepositional phrase introduced with von or durch.
Example with von:
active | passive | ||||||
Der Mechaniker | repariert | den Motor. | Der Motor | wird | vom Mechaniker | repariert. | |
"agent" = subject
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"agent" = prepositional phrase
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Example with durch:
active | passive | ||||||
Diese Therapie | beschleunigt | die Heilung. | Die Heilung | wird | durch diese Therapie | beschleunigt | |
"agent" = subject
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"agent" = prepositional phrase
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As far as the choice between von or durch is concerned, for expressing the subject of the active sentence into the passive, please note the following:
- Von is used mainly for persons or institutions like the society, school, state, etc.
- On the other hand, durch is mostly used to state the medium or the instrument.
Note:
The agent is not mentioned in the passive sentence when the indefinite pronoun man is the subject of the active sentence.
active | passive | ||||||
Man | trinkt | viel Bier. | Viel Bier | wird | von man | getrunken. | |
"agent" = subject
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"agent" = prepositional phrase
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FALSE
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