[Grammar] A problem when changing the active voice into passive voice

[imme9x]

Well.i have learnt English for years now, but i have just met some problem with the passive voice recently.

i know that in English Grammar,in the Passive Voice,we have some rules about change active sentences into passive sentences,but in this situation,i can't clearly understand that :
A : The Government is building many new schools
=> p : Many new schools is built by the Government (is that correct or not ???)
A : The police arrested several dangerous criminals
=> P : Several dangerous Criminals were arrested by the police (Is that correct or not???)

I know a rule that when the subject is not clearly understand => we can remove this in passive sentence.So, in this situation, "the police and the Government " is not clearly enough.can we remove them in sentences above??? And can you tell me another situation like this???
THanks a lot

[Raymott]

Originally Posted by imme9x

well.i have learnt english for years now, but i have just met some problem with the passive voice recently.

I know that in english grammar,in the passive voice,we have some rules about change active sentences into passive sentences,but in this situation,i can't clearly understand that :
A : The government is building many new schools
=> p : Many new schools are built by the government (is that correct or not ???)
when you change from the active to the passive, the subject changes. So the verb now has to agree with "schools" - the new subject.
the man feeds the dogs => the dogs are fed by the man.
the subject changes from "the man" to "the dogs", so the verb changes from singular to plural. Yes, you can say "the dogs are fed".

a : The police arrested several dangerous criminals
=> p : Several dangerous criminals were arrested by the police (is that correct or not???) yes, it's correct.

i know a rule that when the subject is not clearly understand => we can remove this in passive sentence. you mean when the subject is clearly understood.
so, in this situation, "the police and the government " is not clearly enough. Can we remove them in sentences above??? And can you tell me another situation like this???
you can remove the former subject (the subject of the original sentence):
=> p : Many new schools are built.
=> p : Several dangerous criminals were arrested.

thanks a lot

r.

[colloquium]

Originally Posted by imme9x

Well.i have learnt English for years now, but i have just met some problem with the passive voice recently.

i know that in English Grammar,in the Passive Voice,we have some rules about change active sentences into passive sentences,but in this situation,i can't clearly understand that :
A : The Government is building many new schools
=> p : Many new schools is built by the Government (is that correct or not ???)
A : The police arrested several dangerous criminals
=> P : Several dangerous Criminals were arrested by the police (Is that correct or not???)

I know a rule that when the subject is not clearly understand => we can remove this in passive sentence.So, in this situation, "the police and the Government " is not clearly enough.can we remove them in sentences above??? And can you tell me another situation like this???
THanks a lot

Yes, we often leave out the agent (the subject in an active construction). Often we use the passive voice because the agent is not important or not actually known.

Your second sentence is fine, but your first isn't quite right. Just remember that if you are changing a sentence with a continous tense, you need to add "being" (and likewise if you are changing a perfect tense, you add "been").

Also, now that you have put the plural noun in the subject position, the verb no longer agrees.

Many new schools is built by the Government

See if you can insert "being" and correct the verb.

[imme9x]

OK, i see that i have typed the second sentence is not correct. So,perhaps you mean that in 2 sentences, we should keep the "by+subject " ???Is it right ???

[Dawood Usmani]

Originally Posted by imme9x

OK, i see that i have typed the second sentence is not correct. So,perhaps you mean that in 2 sentences, we should keep the "by+subject " ???Is it right ???

When changing a sentence from active to pasive, we do NOT change the tense.So your sentence should write: Many new schools are being built.
Mentioning the agent depends on the context. If the agent has some importance, you could mention it. If you are focusing only on the action done in the sentence,( what we normally do in the passive) then it's good to omit the agent.
Hope this helps!
Dawood

[RonBee]

Suggestions, corrections in blue.

Originally Posted by imme9x

Well.i have learnt English for years now, but i have just met some problem with the passive voice recently.

I have been studying English for years now, but I have just encountered a problem with the passive voice.

To put the first clause in the passive voice, say:

English has been studied for years by me.

[RonBee]

Changing active voice into passive voice.

Active voice:

The government is building many new schools.

Passive voice:

Many new schools are being built by the government.

[Soup]

Originally Posted by imme9x

I know a rule that when the subject is not clearly [understood], we can [express it] in passive [voice]. So, in this situation, "the police and the Government " [are] not [clear] enough. [C]an we remove them in sentences above?

The subjects are clearly understood though in your example sentences. Here's an example where the subject is not clearly understood:

Ex: Who completed the Eiffel Tower in1889?

Of course, Gustave Eiffel designed the Tower, but he didn't build it. Workers did that.

Passive
The Eiffel Tower was completed in 1889 (by ?).

With passive voice, the subject doesn't need to be stated; with active voice, however, the subject always needs to be stated; unless that is it's an imperative structure, a command; e.g., stand up, sit down.


Use passive voice if:

1) you don't know who the subject is:

Ex: The Universe was created (by ?).

2) you want to take focus (or blame) off the subject:

Ex: The cake was eaten yesterday.
(Active: I ate the cake yesterday.)

Hope that helps.

[imme9x]

of course that i have already known some of the rules above.But what i asked you mean that : in the 2nd sentence,usually the criminals is arrested by the police,so you have known that the Subject (the police)is clear,why don't you remove it from the Passive sentence???

[Raymott]

Originally Posted by imme9x

of course that i have already known some of the rules above.But what i asked you mean that : in the 2nd sentence,usually the criminals is arrested by the police,so you have known that the Subject (the police)is clear,why don't you remove it from the Passive sentence???

I answered that in your first response. You can remove it.