What is the different between "display" and "be displayed" in using? [closed]

This part is the introduction, which won't be displayed on the document.

This part is the introduction, which won't display on the document.

Which one is more correct?
And what is the difference between the "be displayed on" and "display on"? Would you mind offer me some instances to help me understand the correct way? Thanks for your reading.


Your sentences are both grammatically correct, though a bit awkward (either a preposition or an object of the preposition problem). Let's clean them up a little for purposes of illustration:

This part is the introduction, which won't be displayed in the downloadable PDF.
This part is the introduction, which won't be displayed on the following screen.

This part is the introduction, which won't display in the downloadable PDF.
This part is the introduction, which won't display on the following screen.

The first pair uses the passive voice. The second uses the so-called middle voice.* The middle voice is active-like in form—the introduction seems to do the action display. But it's passive-like in meaning—an offstage agent (let's say the programmer) actually controls the destiny of the introduction (as an introduction has no agency of its own).

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Let's look at a simpler example:

Active: Bob boiled the water.

Passive: The water was boiled [by Bob].

Middle: The water boiled.

In the last sentence, the water seems to do the action boil, but we do need Bob to be involved—water doesn't just boil itself—even if he doesn't appear in the sentence.

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Back to your sentences . . .

Here are the Corpus of Contemporary American English (COCA) results for:

will be displayed on

will display on

While these are both acceptable (assuming you have chosen an appropriate object of the preposition), will be displayed on is more common. Still, I prefer the shorter "non-passive" will display on.

Note that you can write yourself around all of this with a linking verb* like appear:

This is the introduction, which doesn't appear in the document.

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*Warning: Linguistic frameworks and grammar terms vary.