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detective with magnifying glassBy Phrases

Deciding When to Include the "Agent"

 

 

The "agent" is the person who performs the action.  However, sometimes the agent is unknown or not the focus (unimportant).

 

Including a By-Phrase
INDENTIFYING INFORMATION NONIDENTIFYING INFORMATION

 Include the by-phrase if it provides identifying, important information.

 Do not include the by-phrase if it adds no important information.

The woman was killed by her husband late last night.

The woman was killed [by someone] late last night.

 

 

 

 

 

Practice

Conditions for Keeping a By-Phrase

 

 

Omit the by-phrase (if):

#

 CONDITIONS OPTIONS
1. If the phrase does not add identifying information:






 
2. If the agent is unknown:
3. If the agent is previously mentioned, already introduced:

The Bank of the West was robbed by a bank robber who has been nicknamed the "Wall Street" robber because of the pinstriped suits he wears while committing the robbery. On May 23, the Bank of America on University Avenue also was robbed


4. If the agent is less important than the project:

The scholarship was created to encourage children to reach for higher levels of education and to give them financial support in attending the college they choose. Over one billion dollars is being offered each year to students who can demonstrate clear educational goals, motivation and financial need.
  compare to:

I, Bill Gates, created a scholarship to encourage children to reach for higher levels of education and to give them financial support while attending college. I am offering over one billion dollars each year to students who can demonstrate clear educational goals, motivation and financial need.
5.  If the agent is not specified or refers to "anyone" (e.g. a process for doing something.)

 A pool of candidates are chosen from resumes sent to the personnel office. The candidates are then, interviewed. After that, one or two candidates are invited to return and give a presentation. Finally, one candidate is selected. 
   

 

 

 

 

Elian grandmotherPractice 2

The Elian Gonzalez Affair 

 

 

Should the by-phrase be included?
  1. Select an option and read the comment about each option. 
  2. Compare your response to the comment box on the right.  (Internet Explorer users may need to click in the feedback box to force the text to appear.)
# YOUR RESPONSE COMMENT
1. Elian is hugged by his grandmother upon his return.

      
2. Early this morning, Elian and his family were driven by agents to the airport to board a private plane home to Cuba.

      

3. "Elian! Elian! Elian!" chanted about 800 children from the first-grader's elementary . They cheered as the boy was carried from the plane by his father.

     
4. Elian was overwhelmed by the attention.      
5. Elian's plane was not met by Fidel Castro. He was conspicuously absent.

     
6. Later, the family was driven by someone to a specially prepared huge house outside of Havana, where they will remain for two to three weeks before returning to their hometown of Cardenas.

     
7. But the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday decisively ended the seven-month custody battle over the 6-year-old, which began when he was rescued off the coast of Florida by two fishermen on Thanksgiving Day.

      
8. In a brief, two-sentence statement, a request by Elian's Miami relatives was refused by the Supreme Court.

    
9. The lawyers for the Gonzalez family in Miami argued that Elian had been denied his constitutional right to an asylum hearing. (by?)

       


   

 

 

 

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