Avoiding vague words as subjects

We always prefer the passive when we wish to avoid using a vague word as subject (e.g. someone, a person, etc.):

After my talk, I was asked to explain a point I had made Conversely, the passive may be avoided (where we might expect it) when we wish to make what is described personal:

They operated on father last night

The passive is used in English where other European languages might prefer an indefinite pronoun subject like one [> 4.9-11]. In a formal context we would avoid one- e.g.

The form has to be signed in the presence of a witness (Not "One

has to sign...") The passive is obligatory in notices such as English Spoken, Loans Arranged, Shoes Repaired, etc. (Not "One...*). Such notices are normally abbreviated: English (is) spoken

12.5 The use of 'by', etc. + agent after a passive

An agent is a 'doer', i.e. the person or thing that performs the action indicated by the verb. By + agent in passive constructions tells us who or what did something:

The window was broken by the boy who lives opposite

The window was broken by a stone By + agent is only necessary when the speaker wishes to say (or the hearer has to know) who or what is responsible for the event in question. The position of by + agent at the end of a clause or sentence gives it particular emphasis:

The window was broken by a slate that fell off the roof Information can be given by means of phrases other than by + agent.

This bridge was built in 1816/of stone/before the war etc.

By + agent is often used with the passive of verbs like build, compose, damage, design, destroy, discover, invent, make, wreck and write Note now a subject-question in the active is often answered by a passive, so that the important information (i.e. what the questioner wants to know) is emphasized by being at the end. Who composed that piece? - It was composed by Mozart What destroyed the village? - It was destroyed by a bomb Note the inclusion of by in questions with Who(m) Who(m) was 'Bleak House' written by? ~ Dickens

With is often used with an agent, especially after past participles such

as crammed, crowded, filled, packed

During the World Cup our streets were filled with football fans

Uses of the passive

But compare by + agent and with ['means/method', > 7.11] in: e.g. He was killed by a falling stone (accidental) He was killed with a knife (deliberate) [compare > App 25.17]

12.6 'Get' + past participle

Get is often used instead of be before certain past participles in colloquial English. Be can sometimes be replaced by become: I tried to find my way round London without a map and got lost I became concerned when he hadn 't come home by midnight (Compare get/become + adjective in e.g. get fat/old [> 10.26]). Get combines with past participles like: arrested, caught, confused, delayed, divorced, dressed, drowned, drunk, elected, engaged, hit, killed, lost, married and stuck. We use get when:

- we do something to ourselves [compare > 4.26-27]: / got dressed as quickly as I could.

- we manage to arrange something in our own favour. Reflexive pronouns can often be used in such cases: / wasn't surprised she got elected after all the efforts she made I see old Morton has got himself promoted at last

- something (often unfavourable) happens beyond our control: We got delayed because of the holiday traffic

A few combinations with get + past participle are used as commands (Get dressed' Get washed!) or insults (Oh, get lost, will you!).