Passive without "be"

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goodday
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Passive without "be"

Post by goodday »

Hi all!
I'm wondering why people sometimes use passive without "be"? For example, if I see 404 error on any web-site, it shows "Page not found". It should be "Page is not found", shouldn't it? Or maybe I got it wrong?
Can you please clarify?
Thanks in advance.
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Joe
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Re: Passive without "be"

Post by Joe »

It's not just because it's passive. We often drop the auxiliary, and other words, for notices like this:

Credit card expired :ok: = Your credit card has expired - active
"We are not wholly bad or good, who live our lives under Milk Wood :-| " — Dylan Thomas, Under Milk Wood

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goodday
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Re: Passive without "be"

Post by goodday »

Thanks, Josef!
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bcurneal
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Re: Passive without "be"

Post by bcurneal »

For Grammar help please check out eslunite.com
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Tukanja
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Re: Passive without "be"

Post by Tukanja »

One more example, usually used on eBay.

Your order has shipped to... (postal address)

Why not
Your order has been shipped to...

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Matthewton
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Re: Passive without "be"

Post by Matthewton »

Hi,
I think short announcements are usually used in phrases, including a noun and a modifier (in this case, that is past participle).
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