The Use of BY + Agent in the Passive Voice

When do we use BY + Agent in the Passive Many English passive sentences do not contain BY + Agent after the verb. In fact, it has been estimated that 80 of passive verbs don!t incl"de the agent, so a basic r"le #o"ld be to omit #herever possible. $here are cases #here its "se #o"ld be regarded as #rong or, at best, "ncomfortable% My #allet #as stolen by someone. &ere the "se adds no information other than the fact that the thief #as h"man. It is completely "nnecessary and so"nds #rong. $he same is tr"e of e'amples #here the s"b(ect is too obvio"s )I #as born by my mother*. $here are e'amples given in boo+s that are correct b"t very limited% &amlet #as #ritten by ,ha+espeare. $his sentence is correct, b"t the second other information is p"t into the sentence, it starts to so"nd stilted. If the date or reason #ere added, then the agent #o"ld probably be best omitted. In the e'ample given, it is necessary beca"se !&amlet #as #ritten.! ma+es little sense as a stand-alone sentence.

Many car accidents are ca"sed by alcohol.

&ere the agent is necessary as it adds something to the sentence and there #o"ld be no meaning #itho"t it. In cases li+e this, #here the agent is essential to create the meaning, it m"st be incl"ded. .here it adds little or nothing, it is better to leave it o"t.