Sentence Correction: Chapter 3 problem set #12

[cnebons]

The book proposes that the following sentence is correct:

All physicians should have been informed of the new regulations by an OSHA representative


Why is it correct? My first reaction was that this is passive voice, and the sentence should be "An OSHA representative should have informed all physicians of the new regulations."

I may be answering my own question here.... Is my re-make of the sentence changing the meaning? Does my version of the sentence say the responsibility lies with the OSHA rep, when the originial sentence says it was the physicians responsibility?

[cnebons]

By the way... I am still using the 2007 edition of the Sentence Correction book, I couldn't make it to the "book-switch" party over the weekend.

[JonathanSchneider]

If you change the sentence to make it active, only then do you imply a sense of obligation. When the "should" is used in the passive voice, it implies probability. A rare issue, but one of meaning, not grammar.

[abhishek.pitti]

One other thing is that the SC guides does mention that GMAT doesn't prefer passive voice but passive voice does occur in the correct answers in fields like science. I think they have a surgeon example in the guide demonstrating that, if i recollect it right.

[JonathanSchneider]

Yes, Abhishek, you may see the passive voice used slightly more often when discussing science. However, this is not the only time when the pasive will be correct: choose the passive whenever the active is wrong or whenever you need to maintain parallelism with another passive verb. Likewise, just because a sentence is about science does not mean it requires the passive voice; you might only see the passive slightly more often in these cases.