[Grammar] Can you help me to clear up my doubts?

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harry1999

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Joined
Jun 23, 2011
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Hindi
Home Country
India
Current Location
India
These are some examples where I have stuck.
I can’t easily understand some sentences are of passive or active.
e.g.
This issues are fixed.
(Passive or Past participle adjective)
The device is no longer connected.
(Active or Passive or Past participle adjective)
This issue will only get reproduced if the following steps are done.
(Active or Passive or Past participle adjective).
Ask the waiter to switch off the lights if they are not needed.
(Active or Passive or Past participle adjective).
Consider it done.
(Active or Passive or Past participle adjective).
Internet connection got disconnected yesterday.
(Active or Passive or Past participle adjective).
Is there any rule(s) to identify active or passive voice or past participle adjectives?
Thanks!
 

philo2009

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Jan 16, 2009
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Academic
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
There is one simple way to determine the difference: if the sentence could meaningfully/sensibly be transformed into a corresponding active sentence, then the verb phrase is passive. If not, it is a simple 'be' + participial adjective combination.

To illustrate:

[1] The machine is needed on a daily basis.

is equivalent to

[1a] People need the machine on a daily basis.

thus 'is needed' is a true passive VP, whereas

[2] As you can see, the machine is plugged in at present.

does not correspond to

[2a] ?As you can see, people plug in the machine in at present.

showing 'plugged in' here to be purely adjectival.
 
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