Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[leslie]

Hi,

Suppose I want to express a sentence from a fish's point of view, is it correct if I use the passive voice in the following sentence? If not, what is the correct way to express the passive voice?

I (as a fish) am waiting to be fed and changed water.

Thanks in advance.
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Less Is Blessed

[Mister Micawber]

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Not correct, sorry.

I (as a fish) am waiting to be fed and have my water changed.
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_________________
"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
...............
Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's

[leslie]

Thank you very much, Mister Micawber.

I have another question: isn't it 'I have my water changed' a bit 'active' ? If I am a fish, is it possible that I have my water changed? Can I paraphrase it as 1 or 2:

1. I (as a fish) am waiting to be fed and waiting for the water to change.
2. I (as a fish) am waiting to be fed and waiting for the water to be changed.

Thanks again.
_________________
Less Is Blessed

[Mister Micawber]

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Your original attempt to make the fish the passive subject is not possible, since it is the water that is to be changed, not the fish. The form I gave you, using the coercive verb, have, is the usual way to express this situation:

I am waiting to be fed and have my water changed [by my owner].

You did not make it clear that the verb must be passive; you merely asked if it were correct. Your subsequent #2 sentence (I am waiting to be fed and waiting for the water to be changed) is a good passive formation, but the style is not good, since so many words (waiting...to be) are repeated. You can improve it by eliminating some of the repetition:

I am waiting to be fed and for the water to be changed.

Your #1 sentence is impossible unless the water changes itself.
.
_________________
"I really do not know that anything has ever been more exciting than diagramming sentences." � Gertrude Stein
...............
Canadian-American who teaches English for a living at Mr Micawber's