HSK 6
被动句4：主语+被/叫/让+宾语+给+动词+其他成分
bèi dòng jù 4 ： zhǔ yǔ + bèi / jiào / ràng + bīn yǔ + gěi + dòng cí + qí tā chéng fèn
Passive sentence 4: Subject + 被/叫/让 + Object + 给 + Verb + other element
Explanation
This is a 被 sentence (passive sentence: a sentence type expressing that the subject is acted upon) with an added 给 (gěi) before the verb to emphasize the result, usually used in colloquial speech.
subject (the thing acted upon) + 被/叫/让 + object (the agent causing the action) + 给 + verb + other elements. Here 被 (bèi), 叫 (jiào), and 让 (ràng) all mark the passive; 给 (gěi) here does NOT mean 'to give,' but is merely a mood-intensifying particle for emphasis.
when recounting an unwanted event that has happened (something broke, a bike was stolen, a matter was forgotten) and you want to emphasize the result; 叫 and 让 lean toward colloquial speech, while 被 can be used in written text too.
when using 叫/让 you must explicitly state the agent causing the action after it; but with 被 the agent can be omitted (被摔碎了). 给 can be dropped and the sentence is still correct — it only adds nuance.
omitting the object (the agent) after 叫/让 (you cannot say 自行车叫给偷走了); misunderstanding 给 as meaning 'to give'; and forgetting that the verb in a passive sentence must be accompanied by another element such as 了, 碎, or 走 (it cannot stand alone).
Examples
The cup was carelessly broken by her.
The bicycle was stolen away by a thief.
This matter was almost completely forgotten by me.
Practice
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Learn “被动句4：主语+被/叫/让+宾语+给+动词+其他成分” effectively
The grammar point “被动句4：主语+被/叫/让+宾语+给+动词+其他成分” (Passive sentence 4: Subject + 被/叫/让 + Object + 给 + Verb + other element) is one of the key structures at HSK 6. To use it fluently, you need to understand the contexts where it's used and practice regularly.
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