[Grammar] To + infinitive Vs To Be + 3rd form of verb

[Jadoon 84]

1. I have emails to compose.
2, I have emails to be composed.

Questions:

1, Which one sentence is correct?
2, Please tell me the meanings of these two sentences, I mean explain the theme of them in your own words. It is one of the biggest problems for me.


Regards

 

[abaka]

Both are grammatically correct. "To compose" refers to you, the composer, "to be composed" refers to the e-mails being composed.

However, "I have emails to compose" sounds much better. Whether it's a natural preference for the active voice over the passive, or perhaps something else, is secondary.

 

[5jj]

We normally just 'write' emails. If you are going to write them yourself, as I assume you are, then #1 is correct. It means that you must/need to write some emails.

I can't come out this evening; I have some work to do.

 

[abaka]

I agree with 5jj that "emails to write" is the most natural way to say it. However, you could say "emails to compose" to emphasize that you will have to think hard about how to write them properly, rather than just dashing them off.

 

[5jj]

However, you could say "emails to compose" to emphasize that you will have to think hard about how to write them properly, rather than just dashing them off.

I agree. I should have added that.

 

[Rover_KE]

When my wife writes an email she clicks on a box labelled Create Mail, but with my email account I have to select the box labelled Compose.

This may be the reason for Jadoon's use of the word.

Rover

 

[emsr2d2]

When my wife writes an email she clicks on a box labelled Create Mail, but with my email account I have to select the box labelled Compose.

This may be the reason for Jadoon's use of the word.

Rover

I click on the word "New". That certainly wouldn't help anyone to choose the appropriate verb.

 

[Jadoon 84]

1, I have emails to compose / write. It is clear I am the "doer"
while
2, I have emails to be composed / written. Is it used that I will get the emails composed / written by others? i.e. I have emails to be composed / written by Taylor. Am I correct?

 

[Rover_KE]

2, I have emails to be composed / written. Is it used that I will get the emails composed / written by others? ​

No – only you will write them.

In real life, native speakers would just say 'I have some emails to write', 'I have some shopping to do', 'I have a letter to post' etc.

Rover

 

[emsr2d2]

If you said "I've got loads of emails that need writing" (which you will hear colloquially), then it may well be followed by "... so could you help me with some of them?" or "... but they're not going to write themselves!" Starting the sentence with "I have ..." certainly implies that the responsibility is yours and that you will write them.

If you said "There are loads of emails to be written" then it would not be clear who was going to write them.

 

[tzfujimino]

Hello.:-D

1. I have emails (which I need) to compose.
2. I have emails (which need) to be composed.

If you understand 'relative clauses', perhaps those words in parentheses might help you to understand them.