AN INTRODUCTION TO ENGLISH GRAMMAR & LANGUAGE
That is, Interrogative words + Yes / No questions = Likewise,
Interrogative questions Active: Love the unprivileged.
This rule is applicable with Interrogative words like – Passive: The unprivileged should be loved.
why, how, when, where, what, etc. Likewise,
But, look at the Passive of the question that begins Active: Refrain from the seven deadly sins.
with ‘who’ or ‘whom’. Passive: The seven deadly sins should be refrained
Active: Who wrote the Sri Sai Satcharitra? from.
Passive: By whom was the Sri Sai Satcharitra writ- (c) Passive of the sentence that expresses ‘request’.
ten? Or, In the sentence that expresses ‘request’ in the Active
Passive: Who was the Sri Sai Satcharitra written by? Voice, Verb1 + Object is used. But, there is the usage of
Note that, it is wrong to say – ‘Whom was the Sri Sai ‘please’, ‘kindly’, etc. which are used in the beginning or at
Satcharitra written by?’ the end of the sentence.
Also remember, Example:
“...if the proposition comes at the end of the sentence (i) Please, help that blind man cross the road.
or clause, then use who.” (ii) Kindly, vacate the room as soon as possible.
Example: (iii) Do it for me, kindly.
(iv) Send a mail at the earliest, please.
Who is that letter from? (not ‘whom’)
Let us see how the Passive of these sentences are
Who did you give it to? (not ‘whom’)
made.
– A Remedial English Grammar for Foreign
As a rule, ‘You are requested to’ is added to convert
Students by F.T. Wood
them into Passive.
Again, look at these sentences. The construction will be – You are requested to +
Active: Whom have you invited to dinner? Verb1 + Object
Passive: Who has been invited by you to dinner? Examples:
PASSIVE OF IMPERATIVE SENTENCES (i) You are requested to help that blind man cross the
Imperative sentence is used to express – order, re- road.
quest, suggestion, etc. The sentence in an Imperative sen- (ii) You are requested to vacate the room as soon as
tence begins with its Principal Verb. possible.
Example: (iii) You are requested to do it for me.
(iv) You are requested to send the mail at the earliest.
Do it at once.
Note that, it is wrong to use – ‘You are kindly requested
Save my child, please.
to’. Problems are often created by using ‘kindly’ before
Or, ‘requested’.
Please, save my child.
Look at the forms of this type.
PASSIVE OF INFINITIVE (TO + VERB1)
(a) Passive of a sentence stating ‘order’. Look at the sentences.
Active: Verb1 + Object A. (i) I am to do it.
(ii) You are to serve her.
Passive: Let + Subject1 + be + Verb3
(iii) They are to buy a home.
Example:
(iv) She was to tell the story.
Active: Blow the horn.
In these sentences, there is the usage of Infinitive (to
̄ ̄ + Verb1).
Verb1 Object Remember that when there is –
Passive: Let the horn be blown. Subject + To be + Infinitive
̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ i.e., Subject + am / is / are / was / were + to +
Let Subject1 be Verb3 Verb1
Likewise, its Passive forms along with it. Like –
Active: Bring a garland of rose. Subject1 + am/is/are/was / were + to + be + Verb3
Passive: Let a garland of rose be brought. Now, following this rule, we can convert the sentences
given above as :
(b) Passive of a sentence that states ‘suggestion’ or
‘advice’. (i) It is to be done by me.
(ii) She is to be served by you.
Active: Verb1 + Object
(iii) A home is to be bought by them.
Passive: Subject1 + should + be + Verb3
(iv) The story was to be told by her.
Example:
B. But, if there a Noun after the Subject and an Infini-
Active: Help the poor people. tive after that Noun, and also the Subject agrees to the
̄ ̄ Verb, the Passive of this Infinitive cannot be made.
Verb1 Object Example:
Passive: The poor people should be helped. I have go a work to do.
̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄ ̄
Subject1 should be Verb3 Subject Noun Infinitive
SEE–67