Saturday, September 22, 2012

In the Passive Voice, All Verbs are Transitive



Danielle writes in:
Hi Snarky! Love your blog!  Okay, I thought I understood the difference between intransitive and transitive verbs. But yesterday my teacher said that when you're using the passive voice, all verbs are transitive. Huh? Please explain this. Thanks! 
Hi Danielle! Your teacher is absolutely right.

As you know, many verbs can be either transitive or intransitive, depending on context. So don't bother trying to memorize which verbs are which. Instead, learn the rules so you can always get it right.

Quick rules: 
  • Transitive verbs are action verbs that require a direct object. The verb's action is transferred directly to the object, which can be a noun, pronoun, phrase, or clause.
  • Find the direct object by asking Subject + Verb + What/Whom? I eat a sandwich for lunch every day. I eat what? A sandwich. That's the direct object. Therefore, in this sentence 'eat' is a transitive verb.
  • Intransitive verbs don't require a direct object. Right after taking a shower every morning, I eat. I eat what? The sentence doesn't say, so there is no direct object. In this sentence, 'eat' is an intransitive verb.
  • Sentences in the passive voice always contain a transitive verb. When we use the passive voice, the subject is hidden there is always a direct object, which means the verb is always transitive.

Try this: Take any sentence in the passive voice and turn it around using the Subject + Verb + What/Whom? formula. Fill in the hidden subject.
  1. My bike was stolen. [Someone] + stole + what? My bike (direct object). Steal is a transitive verb.
  2. Students are given detention if they are late to class. [The teacher] + gives + what? Detention (direct object). To whom? Students (indirect object). Since there is a direct object, give is a transitive verb.
  3. Mistakes were made. [We/they] + made + what? Mistakes (direct object). Make is a transitive verb.
  4. The football game was played under the bright lights. [The teams] + played + what? The football game (direct object). Since there is a direct object, play is a transitive verb.

29 comments:

  1. It is fascinating how you contrived to fully uncover the subject which you have selected for this precise entry. BTW did you use any alike posts as a source of knowledge to complete the whole picture which you have posted in your article?

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  2. I still do not understand. For the 3rd statment, "Mistakes were made" where is the subject? I don't understand how "made" randomly becomes the transition.

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    1. Mistakes are made. Change to active voice. [Someone (understood)] made mistakes. The verb "made" is transitive because it has an object. Made what? Mistakes. The key is to change the passive voice to active to find the object. OR just remember all passive verbs are transitive.

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  3. You have posted such precious and informative article which gave me lot of information. To get the best tips of correct your sentence fluently then must search our site how to correct my english

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. That website is a collection of the worst English I've seen in months. PLEASE, readers: DO NOT VISIT THAT LINK! Whoever wrote it simply can't speak or write English.

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  4. What about "I'm broken". Where is the direct object?

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    Replies
    1. I am broken subject I / linking verb am / predicate adjective broken

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  5. Hey, guys! If passive and active voices are indeed indistinguishable for you, this source can teach you what cases require what voice and how to use them properly, follow and be advanced in English http://royalediting.com/usage-tips-of-passive-voice

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. My students love the "zombie test" for passive verbs. If you can put "by zombies" after the verb, it is passive. Sorry I do not remember where I heard this to give credit to the author.

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    2. The very first paragraph of this so-called "editing" site contains this: "The correct grammar, spelling and spelling are crucial elements of good academic writing..." The rest of the site is replete with bad grammar and errors in syntax. DO NOT RELY ON THIS SITE!

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    3. Is anybody there to respond me??

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    4. Is anybody there to respond me??

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  6. I have studied active voice and passive voice in school but never understood well, you have just open up my mind.

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  7. Hi. Can you please tell me the passive of "He does not go there."

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  8. Hi, what about 'I opted for History as my main subject. Here opted has no direct object but a preposition 'for' qualifying it to be 'intransitive verb' . But 'History was opted for by me as my main subject.' Here we are able to make passive???Please help. Thanks

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    Replies
    1. "Opted for" is a phrasal. The preposition connects with the verb and they act as a unit together. To see this, try and switch in a different verb, e.g.: "I chose History as my main subject." Seeing that one verb swallows up a verb+preposition means that the verb+preposition is a phrasal. Just think of those words as a verb from that point on and then it's easy.

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  9. Some verb can be transitive or intransitive, it maybe is transitive in active voice but intransitive in passive voice. see wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intransitive_verb

    In languages that have a passive voice, a transitive verb in the active voice becomes intransitive in the passive voice.

    Is it right?

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  10. "Ramesh had gone to Delhi" please change it into passive voice

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  11. Hi teacher, I'd like to ask you a question. Im on my preparation for my entrance exams and I have problem understanding this sentence.
    "This information has proved to be useful to a great many people" Why is it not "has been proved" . Thanks a lot!

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  12. "Go" does not answer "what" or "whom", so it's an intransitive verb. Not feasible to make a passive sentence in this case.

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