A. When we need to mention the agent in a passive sentence, we use a phrase with 'by'
- Hercule Poirot was created by Agatha Christie.
- The land has been bought by a property developer.
- The submarine is powered by nuclear energy.
** Here the agent - Agatha Christie, a property developer, and nuclear energy- are the new information we are focusing on.
B. But often we do not need to include the agent in a passive sentence. Other kinds of information can come at the end of the sentence.
- The dark side of the moon was first seen in 1959.
- The reception will be held at the Manor Hotel.
- Plugs should be wired correctly.
** We mention the agent only if we need to mention it. We do not mention it if it is not relevant.
- A large number of Sherlock Holmes films have been made.
- The atom was regarded as solid until the election was discovered in 1897
- The drugs were destroyed.
** The people who made films, discovered the electron and destroyed the drugs are not relevant to message. The first two examples are about the number of films and the time of the discovery. The last example is about what happened to the drugs, not when or where it happened or who did it. The people who made films, discovered the electron and destroyed the drugs.
** Sometimes we do not know identify of the agent.
- My car was stolen.
** The phrase 'by the thief' would add no information.
** Sometimes we do not need to mention the agent because it is obvious
- A new government has been elected.
** The phrase 'by the voters' would add no information because we know that governments are elected by voters.
** Sometimes we do not mention the agent because we do not want to.
- Mistakes have been made.
** This use of the passive without agent is a way of not saying who is responsible. Compare the active I / We have made mistakes.
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