Breakdown of Het draaiboek moet precies gevolgd worden, zij het langzaam.
precies
exactly
moeten
to have to, must
volgen
to follow
worden
to become
Questions & Answers about Het draaiboek moet precies gevolgd worden, zij het langzaam.
Why does this sentence use gevolgd worden instead of gevolgd zijn?
This is a dynamic passive. The sentence describes the ongoing action of following the script, so we use worden. If it said moet gevolgd zijn (stative passive), it would mean the action needs to be already finished, translating to 'must have been followed' by a certain point in time.
What exactly is zij het?
Zij het is a fixed, slightly formal expression that means 'albeit' or 'even if it is'. It comes from an old subjunctive form of zijn (to be), literally meaning 'be it'. You use it just like 'albeit' in English to introduce a minor contrast or concession.
Could the words at the end of the main clause be swapped to worden gevolgd?
Yes, both word orders are entirely correct in a Dutch verbal cluster. Putting the past participle (gevolgd) before the infinitive (worden) is very common in everyday Dutch, while worden gevolgd sounds slightly more formal.
Does draaiboek only refer to a movie script?
While it originally refers to a film script (from the days of physically turning or cranking a camera), draaiboek is widely used in business and event planning to mean a detailed schedule, step-by-step plan, or scenario.