Lecture 14 Lecture 14

Passive Voice (I)Passive Voice (I)

Teaching ContentsTeaching Contents

14.1 Active sentence and passive sent14.1 Active sentence and passive sentenceence

14.2 Passive voice of phrasal verbs14.2 Passive voice of phrasal verbs 14.3 Passive voice of non-finite verbs 14.3 Passive voice of non-finite verbs

14.1 Active sentence and passive sentence14.1 Active sentence and passive sentence A sentence/clause whose predicator (predicate verA sentence/clause whose predicator (predicate ver

b) is active is called an “active sentence”, and a sb) is active is called an “active sentence”, and a sentence/clause whose predicator is passive is calleentence/clause whose predicator is passive is called a “passive sentence”. The subject in the active d a “passive sentence”. The subject in the active sentence is the agent or doer of an action, and in thsentence is the agent or doer of an action, and in the passive the recipient of the action.e passive the recipient of the action.

Rules of changing into the passiveRules of changing into the passive Most of the SVO/SVOO/SVOC patterns can be made Most of the SVO/SVOO/SVOC patterns can be made

passive, following the rules below:passive, following the rules below:

a) In the first pattern, the active object beca) In the first pattern, the active object becomes the passive subject, the active verb pomes the passive subject, the active verb phrase becomes the passive verb phrase, thhrase becomes the passive verb phrase, the active subject becomes the passive agent e active subject becomes the passive agent and a prepositional by is introduced beforand a prepositional by is introduced before the agent. The by-phrase is not necessary.e the agent. The by-phrase is not necessary.

b) If there is a modal or semi-auxiliary in thb) If there is a modal or semi-auxiliary in the active verb phrase, it is the infinitive that e active verb phrase, it is the infinitive that follows that is made passivefollows that is made passive

c) In the SVOO , there are two possible passic) In the SVOO , there are two possible passive forms: either the indirect object or the dive forms: either the indirect object or the direct object becomes the subject of the passirect object becomes the subject of the passive sentence. The former is preferred.ve sentence. The former is preferred.

d) In the SVOC, the object complement becd) In the SVOC, the object complement becomes the subject complement of the passivomes the subject complement of the passive sentence apart from the other changes.e sentence apart from the other changes.

e.g. We have painted the windows white. e.g. We have painted the windows white. The windows have been painted white. The windows have been painted white.

2) Voice constraints 2) Voice constraints Not all the active sentences can be made pasNot all the active sentences can be made pas

sive. Some transitive or stative verbs, for exasive. Some transitive or stative verbs, for example, do not occur in the passivemple, do not occur in the passive

e.g. This plane holds about 150 people.e.g. This plane holds about 150 people. a) Transitive verbs with reflexive or reciprocal a) Transitive verbs with reflexive or reciprocal

objects do not passivize.objects do not passivize. We should help each other.We should help each other. b) Some “verb + noun” combinations, whicb) Some “verb + noun” combinations, whic

h have the force of an intransitive verb, can nh have the force of an intransitive verb, can never take the passive. ever take the passive.

c) There is no active transformation for the followinc) There is no active transformation for the following seemingly passive sentencesg seemingly passive sentences

e.g. He is gone = He has gone.e.g. He is gone = He has gone. They are finished. = They have finished. be finisheThey are finished. = They have finished. be finishe

dd 可用于被动语态，亦可用系表结构。可用于被动语态，亦可用系表结构。 1)1) 当主语是表事物的名词或代词时，当主语是表事物的名词或代词时， finishedfinished 具有被具有被

动意义。动意义。 e.g. The war was nearly finished.e.g. The war was nearly finished. The house will soon be finished. The house will soon be finished. 2)2) 当主语是表人的名词或代词时，当主语是表人的名词或代词时， finishedfinished 常具有主常具有主

动意义，动意义， be finishedbe finished 表动作的结果或状态。表动作的结果或状态。 e.g. At last I was finished on time. e.g. At last I was finished on time. 按时完工了。按时完工了。

14.2 Passive voice of phrasal verbs14.2 Passive voice of phrasal verbs 1) Passive voice of basic phrasal verb1) Passive voice of basic phrasal verb Phrasal verbs have three basic forms: verb + Phrasal verbs have three basic forms: verb +

preposition, verb + adverb particle and verb + preposition, verb + adverb particle and verb + adverb particle + preposition. In the passive tadverb particle + preposition. In the passive transformation, these forms are mostly treateransformation, these forms are mostly treated as single-word verbs, and both the adverb d as single-word verbs, and both the adverb particle and the preposition should remain iparticle and the preposition should remain immediately after the verb.mmediately after the verb.

2) Passive voice of “verb + noun + prepositio2) Passive voice of “verb + noun + preposition”n”

This structure may have two passive possibiliThis structure may have two passive possibilities. The first is treat the combination as a sinties. The first is treat the combination as a single transitive verb; the second is to treat it as gle transitive verb; the second is to treat it as “verb + object + preposition”, and put the “verb + object + preposition”, and put the whole prepositional phrase after the passive whole prepositional phrase after the passive verb.verb.

e.g. He took great care of his books. e.g. He took great care of his books. His books were taken great care of. His books were taken great care of. Great care was taken of his books.Great care was taken of his books.

14.3 Passive voice of non-finite verbs 14.3 Passive voice of non-finite verbs English verbs have three non-finite forms: thEnglish verbs have three non-finite forms: th

e infinitive, the –ing participle, and the –ed pe infinitive, the –ing participle, and the –ed participle, of which the first two may occur in articiple, of which the first two may occur in the passive.the passive.

1) Passive infinitive1) Passive infinitive When the logical subject of the infinitive is thWhen the logical subject of the infinitive is th

e recipient of an action, the infinitive should e recipient of an action, the infinitive should take the passive form. The logical subject of take the passive form. The logical subject of the passive infinitive need not be expressed ithe passive infinitive need not be expressed if the infinitive shares the subject with the mf the infinitive shares the subject with the main clauseain clause

e.g. I’m proud to be thus chosen.e.g. I’m proud to be thus chosen. If the infinitive does not share the subject witIf the infinitive does not share the subject wit

h the main clause, the logical subject of the ph the main clause, the logical subject of the passive infinitive must be expressed.assive infinitive must be expressed.

e.g. It’s impossible for lost time to be made e.g. It’s impossible for lost time to be made up.up.

2) Passive –ing participle2) Passive –ing participle When the logical subject of the –ing participle When the logical subject of the –ing participle

is the recipient of an action, the –ing participlis the recipient of an action, the –ing participle should take the passive form.e should take the passive form.

e.g. I object to being kept waiting.e.g. I object to being kept waiting.

If the –ing participle does not share the subjeIf the –ing participle does not share the subject with the main clause, the logical subject mct with the main clause, the logical subject must be expressed.ust be expressed.

e.g. The workers were proud of their producte.g. The workers were proud of their products being praised highly by the buying public.s being praised highly by the buying public.

When a passive –ing participle with a personaWhen a passive –ing participle with a personal pronoun as its own subject functions as the l pronoun as its own subject functions as the object or prepositional complementation, thobject or prepositional complementation, the personal pronoun can occur either in the oe personal pronoun can occur either in the objective or in the genitive case.bjective or in the genitive case.

e.g. I insisted on him/his being invited.e.g. I insisted on him/his being invited.

3) Contrast between passive infinitive and passiv3) Contrast between passive infinitive and passive –ing participlee –ing participle

Both function as the object of transitive verbs. SomBoth function as the object of transitive verbs. Some verbs can only collocate with the infinitive or with e verbs can only collocate with the infinitive or with the –ing participle, some or with both of them withothe –ing participle, some or with both of them without change of meaning except for a few cases where tut change of meaning except for a few cases where there is difference semantically.here is difference semantically.

e.g. He wants to be invited.e.g. He wants to be invited. He enjoys being flattered.He enjoys being flattered. He forgot to be photographed. He forgot to be photographed. He forgot being photographed.He forgot being photographed. If a passive non-finite verb functions as prepositionaIf a passive non-finite verb functions as prepositiona

l complementation or as object of a phrasal verb, it l complementation or as object of a phrasal verb, it can only be an –ing form.can only be an –ing form.