Page 31 - DENG201_ENGLISH_II

Unit 2: Functional English Grammar : Transformation and Synthesis of Sentences

I want someone to inform the police. ............... Active Notes
I want the police to be informed. ............... passive
(d) Participles in passive construction.
Example:
I saw him turning the key. ............... Active
I saw the key being turned by him. ............... Passive
I heard her shouting at the child. ............... Active
I heard the child being shouted at by her. ............... Passive
(e) Imperatives in passive construction.
Example:
Switch off the fan. ............... Active
Let the fan be switched off. ............... Passive
Bring the child. ............... Active
Let the child be brought. ............... Passive
Please forgive him. ............... Active
You are requested to forgive him. ............... Passive
He may please be forgiven. ............... Passive
Open the gate. ............... Active
Let the gate be opened. ............... Passive
Note: All imperatives except requests use let in passive constructions. Please becomes
you are requested to in passive.
An important point to remember is that when we change imperative sentences from
active to passive voice, we must try touse let in case of non-living things. For example:
Open the door. ............... Active
Let the door be opened ............... Passive
Break the glassbox. ............... Active
Let the glassbox be broken. ............... passive
In case of other animals except man, let may also be used. For example:
Drive away the cattle. ............... Active
Let the cattle be drive away. ............... Passive
Beat the dogs. ............... Active
Let the dogs be beaten. ............... Passive
But in case of human beings, should is more appropriate.
Help the poor. ............... Active
The poor should be helped. ............... Passive
Don’t laugh at the lame. ............... Active
The lame should not be laughted at. ............... Passive
Take care of the old man. ............... Active
The old man should be taken care of. ............... passive
Request, advice, order ar eused only when
(i) Imperative sentences have intransitive verbs; as,
Go there. ............... Active
You are requested to go there. ............... Passive

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