Where were the orphanages located?

Where were the orphanages?

Where were they?

Ambiguity – several meanings

If I say “I located the  orphanages”, it means “I found them”, “I found their location.”

“The orphanages were located…” could mean:

1. They were found. They were identified.

2. They were in a particular place.

Compare these two sentences:

The orphanages were located in California and Texas.

The orphanages were located by the man who was looking for his lost children.

Pay attention to the difference between:

the orphanages were located in..

the orphanages were located by….