To do ,To be done

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Tonyoung

#108618 Tue, 14 Jun 05 09:09 AM

I \ I have some work to do .
I \ I have some work to be done.
II\ There is plenty of work to do.
II\ There is plenty of work to be done.
What is the differences?Would you mind explaining them ?
I can see the basic meaning of some sentences but for the potential meaning of them is hard for me to understand,do you have some good English Grammar website to introduce to me?
Thanks in advance.
Tony

Tonyoung

Joined on Wed, May 26 2004

Mainland of China

New Member (18)

Mister Micawber

#108649 Tue, 14 Jun 05 10:42 AM

'I' applies to the speaker only, while 'there is' includes all present as possible laborers. 'Plenty' is more than 'some'. 'To be done' is the passive voice of 'to do'-- perhaps the passive stressing that the tasks exist and the active stressing the action that must be taken. Other than that, I see no real difference in the communication intended-- they all mean that you can't punch out yet.

This is a good English Grammar website. If you want a list of rules, I often try THIS PLACE.

Mister Micawber

Joined on Wed, Aug 4 2004

Yokohama

Veteran Member (20,019)

'The question is,' said Humpty Dumpty, 'which is to be master-- that's all.'

pieanne

#108669 Tue, 14 Jun 05 11:09 AM

Yet, "I have some work to be done" doesn't sound nice to me.
Can it be said?

pieanne

Joined on Thu, Jan 20 2005

South of France ...But I'm Belgian!

Veteran Member (7,512)

I'm glad to help, but I'm not a native! And please excuse my typos...

Tonyoung

#108670 Tue, 14 Jun 05 11:17 AM

Thanks Micawber
I almost got your point.
Could I understand them this way?
"I have some work to do " indicate that it is me ,not you\he\she,have some work to do,focus on the person.
"I have some work to be done" means that it is the work I have to do ,not some movies need to be watched,stress "work".
"there are plenty of work to do" imply that somebody has to do the work.
"there are plenty of work to be done" denote that the work has to be done.
Is this understanding right?
Tony

Tonyoung

Mister Micawber

#108688 Tue, 14 Jun 05 11:58 AM

Yes, that's sort of it, Tony, except that the movies, etc. don't enter into it--

"I have some work to do " indicates that it is me, not you\he\she, who has work to do; focus on the person.

"I have some work to be done" means that work exists; stress 'work'.
.
"There is plenty of work to do" implies that somebody has to do the work.
"There is plenty of work to be done" again emphasizes that it exists.

These are NOT hard and fast distinctions, Tony, and a speaker might well choose arbitrarily from among them.

Pieanne, I can see what makes you leery of this, but it is fine. For example--

Boss: 'I have some work to be done-- now, who is going to volunteer?'

Mister Micawber

pieanne

#108690 Tue, 14 Jun 05 12:01 PM

Thanks, MM Smile [:)]

"I" doesn't intend to do the work, hence a sloth or a boss!

pieanne

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