Question 1

Why is forskaren the subject of this sentence if they aren't the one doing the granting?

Accepted Answer

This is the core of a "recipient passive." Verbs that give someone something have two objects: a recipient (forskaren) and the thing given (anslaget). In Swedish, just like in English, you can promote the recipient to become the subject of a passive sentence, emphasizing who received the action rather than who performed it.

Question 2

What would this sentence look like in the active voice?

Accepted Answer

It would be Kommittén beviljade forskaren anslaget. In this active version, kommittén (the committee) is the subject doing the action, forskaren is the indirect object, and anslaget is the direct object.

Question 3

Could I use a simpler verb like gavs (was given) instead of beviljades?

Accepted Answer

You could grammatically say Forskaren gavs anslaget, but beviljades (from att bevilja, meaning to grant or approve) is much more natural in this context. It is the standard formal verb used for official applications, grants, and funding.

Question 4

Based on the definite form anslaget, what is the root noun and its gender?

Accepted Answer

The root is ett anslag (a grant, funding, or appropriation), making it a neuter noun. The -et suffix is the definite article. It is helpful to remember that many nouns sharing this root, like ett förslag (a proposal) or ett beslag (a confiscation), are also neuter words.

Question 5

Why is av used before kommittén?

Accepted Answer

In passive sentences, av translates to "by." It is used to introduce the agent, which is the person or entity that actually performed the action. Here, it tells us that the committee is the one who granted the funding.

Forskaren beviljades anslaget av kommittén.

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