sentence structure- SC MGMAT

[vishalc581]

A new textbook focused on recent advances in artificial intelligence assigned by our
instructor.

In SC guide it is written that "The original is a fragment.". How this sentence is fragment. It contains verbs focused and assigned.

Only problem I see is that both the verbs are in same tense so I believe "has been assigned" should work. Is that right?

Please help me.

[Chelsey Cooley]

"has been assigned" would be correct, but it isn't because of tense. The issue here is that "assigned", if it's used as a verb, is an active verb. To use it in the passive form, you need a helper verb, such as "was" or "has been." So, all of these are correct:

The teacher assigned us a fifty-page paper.

A fifty-page paper was assigned by the teacher.

A fifty-page paper has been assigned by the teacher.

The reason the book refers to it as a fragment is that when you see an 'active-looking' verb in a 'passive-looking' context, it actually signals a modifier. Example:

The fifty-page paper assigned by the teacher took me two months to complete.

This is good, because it has the subject 'paper' and the verb 'took'.

The fifty-page paper assigned by the teacher.

This is bad, because it doesn't really have a verb. It just has a subject and a modifier, so it's a fragment.

[vishalc581]

Hi,

so you mean we need was/ has been as helping verb because the sentence is using passive voice?

In the last sentence example you gave, isn't "assigned" acting as a verb?

[vishalc581]

Instructors can you please have look at my problem.


I see from many days no one is replying to my posts ........is it something like I didn't follow any forum rule and you have added my name in blacklist

[tim]

Without the helping verb, it looks like the textbook or the paper assigned something, which makes no sense.

Also, be careful bumping questions. Every time you do that it puts the question at the absolute end of the queue for us to answer. Bumping a question is the most effective way to cause a delay in getting your question answered.