Please explain me following sentences.
Men will attract girls.
Men will be attracted to girls.
I am so confused with why the second second uses the passive form.
Is it passive ?
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3Yes, the second sentence is in the passive voice, and the two sentences have different meanings. In the first, we say that girls like men, in the second, that men like girls. What exactly are you confused about?– CowperKettleCommented Oct 7, 2015 at 14:55
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the first is more similar to 'men will be attractive to girls' than the latter– cianiusCommented Oct 7, 2015 at 15:42
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1This is why word order is always changed in passive voice. For the second sentence to actually be the passive version of the first, it would read: "Girls will be attracted to men."– Crazy EyesCommented Oct 7, 2015 at 19:22
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Magnets will attract iron filings. Iron filings will be attracted to magnets.– TimRCommented Oct 7, 2015 at 22:27
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2 Answers
Men will attract women
It means that that men will arouse women's liking for or interest in them.
Men will be attracted to/by women
The sentence is in the passive. It means the other way round. Here, it means:
women will attract men (active voice) = Men will be attracted to/by women (passive voice).
You can use the sentence either in the active voice or in the passive voice. It has the same meaning. However, the use of the passive voice emphasizes men, who are acted on.
The sentences "Men will attract girls" and "Men will be attracted to girls" have different meanings.
"Men will attract girls" (active voice) has the same meaning as "Girls will be attracted to men" (passive voice) and, more simply, "Girls will like men".
"Men will be attracted to girls" (passive voice) has the same meaning as "Girls will attract men" (active voice) and, more simply, "Men will like girls".
