10.16 passive of verbs referring to states

A few transitive verbs refer to states rather than actions. When some of these verbs are used in the passive, the agent is put after the preposition 'with'.

• The room was filled with pleasant furniture.
• The railings were decorated with thousands of bouquets.

Here is a list of transitive verbs referring to states which are used with 'with' in the passive:

• cram, crowd, decorate, fill, ornament, throng

However, 'by' is used with some verbs which describe a state.

• The Melbourne meeting is likely to be overshadowed by the implications of the recent Ottawa economic summit.

Here is a list of transitive verbs referring to states which are used with 'by' in the passive:

• conceal, exceed, illuminate, inhabit, occupy, overshadow

Some verbs, such as 'adorn' and 'surround' can be used with 'with' or 'by' after them.

• Her right hand was covered with blood.
• One entire wall was covered by a gigantic chart of the English Channel.
• The house was surrounded with tanks and policemen with dogs.
• The building was surrounded by a deep green lawn.

Here is a list of transitive verbs which can be used with either 'with' or 'by' in the passive:

• adorn, besiege, cover, encircle, overrun, surround

There are also several verbs which are used with 'in'.

• Douglas Hamilton's recommendations are contained in the report of a survey of African elephants carried out under his direction.
• Free transport was not included in the contract.
• The walls of her flat are covered in dirt.

Here is a list of transitive verbs which can be used with 'in' in the passive:

• contain, cover, embody, include, involve, subsume

Note that 'cover' can be used with 'in', 'by' or 'with'.