English Basics

Active and Passive Voice – Change of Voice -Which cannot be Changed – Rules

Active and Passive Voice – Change of Voice -Which cannot be Changed – Rules

There are some types of sentences which cannot be converted into Passive Voice, as explained below:

Non-Convertible Tenses
The sentences of following tenses cannot be converted into Passive Voice.

  1. Present Perfect Continuous (or Progressive) Tense
  2. Past Perfect Continuous (or Progressive) Tense
  3. Future Perfect Continuous (or Progressive) Tense
  4. Future Continuous (or Progressive) Tense

Sentences, having intransitive verb, cannot be converted into Passive Voices

There are two types of verbs: transitive and intransitive verb. A verb, that requires an object in sentence to give a complete meaning, is called transitive verb. Read the following example of transitive verb.

  • He bought _______.
  • He bought a book.

“Buy” is a transitive verb, because without an object (a book), it does not give complete idea. All such verbs that must have an object for them in sentence are called transitive verbs.

On the other hand, a verb which does not require an object in the sentence and can give a complete meaning (without an object), is called intransitive verb. Read the following example of intransitive verb.

  • He laughs.

“Laugh” is intransitive verb. It does not require an object in sentence. Even without an object in sentence it can express complete idea. “Go, sleep, sit, reach, die” are few examples of the intransitive verbs.

The sentences, having intransitive verbs, cannot be converted into Passive Voice. The only reason for this is that such a sentence has no object. When a sentence has no object, it cannot be changed into Passive Voice. For changing a sentence into passive voice, the sentence must have clear known object.

Read the following examples of sentences having intransitive verbs which cannot be changed into Passive Voice.

Examples:

  • He is sleeping.
  • He is laughing.
  • He has gone.
  • He died in 2005.

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