Anyway, I was thinking about "theft", and stories that students have told me (in the context of practising/using potentially passive language) recently, and I suddenly had this crazy idea about when the passive might be less likely to be used. I won't tell you what that idea was just yet, though, because I'd like to see what people think they would say (that is, I want to elicit some language from you guys to see if it ends up anything like I am imagining it would). Exciting, huh!
Here's the scenario (we're adopting an "omniscient", "divine CCTV camera"-like view of everything because I am trying to avoid "giving you any language"):
It's your apartment. You are out, and the door and windows are locked. A man is outside. He breaks down the door and enters (install a better lock next time). He sees your wallet/purse on the table, opens it, takes out however much money is in it, and then tosses it back onto the table (because there are no credit cards in it - we are English teachers, for Chris's sake! - and it doesn't look expensive). He leaves (maybe after stealing some more stuff, rifling through your knickerbockers etc). A little later, you come back and...
Now imagine that you didn't see any of that (that is, you can't possibly have been a "divine CCTV camera" at all), and only actually REALLY saw anything from the moment you came back in through the door. How would you report what had happened the next day to your friends?
Some of you may reckon you know what I am up to here, but please don't let that distract you from attempting to naturally answer the question. If you have several alternative versions, try to put them into a preferred order.
I'll post my "findings" (re. what I was expecting to hear or not hear) after I've gotten a couple of replies!
, lads, but now you've informed the police, how about making things a little "jucier" for your freer and more attentive pal come the morrow? 