Passive/ two objects

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Passive/ two objects
Message from mohammad51 posted on 06-01-2018 at 13:20:38 (D | E | F)
Hello
Could anyone please comment or deal with this source of passive ( two objects)?
I answered many questions of these and I know there are two ways to change active sentence( of two objects)for passive,but the matter sometimes becomes unacceptable from the semantic or linguistic views.
Examples:
Sophia sold the car to a doctor.
a: A doctor was sold the car (by Sophia). I think less acceptable, but let me say "correct"
b: The car was sold to a doctor (by Sophia) I think this pattern is well understood.

2- Julie taught the grammar to the students.
a: The students were taught the grammar (by Julie).
b: The grammar was taught to the students (by Julie). both answers ( a, b) correct in grammar or in linguistics.

*****
He wrote me a letter.
A letter was written me by him.
I was written a letter by him. ? This one I suggest or I feel is not acceptable to be understood. How I was written? If received\ got I think here whether in grammar or in linguistic is possible, but with ( I was written a letter by him) I feel disagreeing.......
So what is your view about these patterns and exactly the last pattern?

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Edited by lucile83 on 06-01-2018 17:55

Re: Passive/ two objects from gerondif, posted on 06-01-2018 at 17:23:03 (D | E)
Hello.
He was given a book , she was offered flowers, they were awarded medals is perfectly acceptable but you won't use by + agent, as it is not useful to have it here. It is an impersonal structure, so you needn't name the person who did the action.

Sophia sold the car to a doctor. ok.

a: a doctor was sold the car (by Sophia). ( I think less acceptable, but let me say "correct") What would be the use of twisting this sentence into a passive voice ? If you needed to insist, you would say : It was indeed to a doctor that Sonia sold the car.
b: The car was sold to a doctor (by Sophia) I think this pattern is well understood. ok

2- Julie taught ~~the~~ grammar to the students. ok
a: The students were taught ~~the~~ grammar (by Julie). ok
b: The (The will be used if you show this aspect compared to the other aspects of the syllabus, the vocabulary, the civilisation. Otherwise, if you speak in general, no the)grammar was taught to the students (by Julie). both answers ( a, b) correct in grammar or in linguistics. ok.

*****
He wrote me a letter.
A letter was written to me by him.(there again, what is the use of distorting a sentence into the passive voice ?)
I was written a letter by him(it is awkward here to use by him. I was written a letter will be used when the narrator expresses the idea of an act done to him by some administration, or somebody with bad intentions maybe.
When they fired me, they didn't even tell me to my face: They send me a letter = I was sent a letter.

Re: Passive/ two objects from mohammad51, posted on 06-01-2018 at 19:29:14 (D | E)
Hello
Thank you gerondif, for your efforts and instructions ... You helped me more, I am indebted to you.
However, I was written a letter .... Do I who write? Of course not I am?
The process of writing is done by another external factor and I who received ( the object who is bearing the action.Otherwise, I am never the writer, but I am the receiver. You see I think, still I think that not all verbs can support the matter of the passive.

Which one is more acceptable in English answer a or b?
He wrote me a letter. Active ordinary sentence, I never say wrong.
a- I was written a letter.
b- A letter was written me.
is a sentence( b) correct English sentence? Do the Englishmen speak in this way? This is what I asked about.
Thank you for your patience.

Re: Passive/ two objects from teajane75, posted on 07-01-2018 at 09:41:33 (D | E)
Hello
You can say:
-I was written a letter.
-A letter was written to me.
that's it!

Re: Passive/ two objects from gerondif, posted on 07-01-2018 at 20:25:07 (D | E)
Hello,
the verbs that have a direct object and a second one introduced by to can have two passive voices:
Somebody sent a letter to Jane.
A letter was sent to Jane by somebody. (technically correct but sounds a bit stupid)
Jane was sent a letter. Rather common.

The same applies to: Jane was shown/given/offered/sent/granted... a present.

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