Have been robbed

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Kekel

#345819 Sat, 31 Mar 07 09:37 PM

Please, could you explain what does it mean??

The bank has been robbed.

And would it be right if I we don't use "been"??

Thanks!!

Kekel

Joined on Sun, Dec 17 2006

Brazil

Full Member (377)

“Learn everything you can, anytime you can, from anyone you can - there will always come a time when you will be grateful you did.” - Sarah Caldwell

Marvin A.

#345826 Sat, 31 Mar 07 09:58 PM

You could also say: "The bank was robbed.", but that changes it a little bit. You must have the "been" tho'. It means roughly that: "(Someone) robbed the bank."

Marvin A.

Joined on Fri, Dec 8 2006

Regular Member (638)

Philip

#345839 Sat, 31 Mar 07 10:55 PM

Kekel wrote:
Please, could you explain what does it mean??

The bank has been robbed.

And would it be right if I we don't use "been"??

Thanks!!

It's a good use of the passive voice (has been robbed) because we don't know who did the robbing.

Philip

Joined on Thu, Jun 23 2005

USA Pacific Northwest (Seattle)

Veteran Member (6,320)

At reise er at leve! - H. C. Andersen

CalifJim

#345932 Sun, 01 Apr 07 07:03 AM

If someone has robbed the bank, then the bank has been robbed.
If someone has eaten the cookies, then the cookies have been eaten.
If someone has closed the door, then the door has been closed.
If someone has thrown a ball, then a ball has been thrown.
If someone has received a letter, then a letter has been received.

(been is required.)

CJ

CalifJim

Joined on Mon, Aug 2 2004

California

Veteran Member (17,716)

"There are no facts, only interpretations" - Nietzsche

Bird Of Paradise

#345971 Sun, 01 Apr 07 12:00 PM

Kekel wrote:
Please, could you explain what does it mean??

The bank has been robbed.

And would it be right if I we don't use "been"??

Thanks!!

Been is the past participle form of the verb be, and be is used as a helping verb in passive voice construction. Without any form of the verb be, we cannot think of passive voice sentence.

Bird Of Paradise

Joined on Thu, Feb 15 2007

Junior Member (99)

I would appreciate it if anyone would correct my grammar mistakes if there are any. ( Even in this sentence.) TO THINE OWN SELF BE TRUE,

Verbs, Constructions, Helping Verbs

Kooyeen

#346031 Sun, 01 Apr 07 03:28 PM

Hi,
this is another thread to take advantage of.
I get the feeling that in passive sentences the present perfect is used even if in active sentences the past simple is the common choice (at least in AmE).

Did you hear the latest news? Someone robbed the bank!
Did you hear the latest news? The bank's been robbed! (This is the passive version but instead of saying "was robbed", which is the passive of "robbed", we say "has been robbed")

Damn! Where are my cookies? Someone ate them!
Damn! Where are my cookies? They've been eaten! (Same comment as above, "were eaten", which is the passive of "ate", is not as good as "have been eaten")

What do you think of my comments? Thanks Smile [:)]