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Anonymous Posted 17 years ago
Grammar

Cases involving intransitivity and transivity of sentences

Hi.
1. I think the word "remain" is intransitive. Is that why no. 2 is impossible, as I think it is?

1.The key is to remain in the door handle.
2.The key is to be remained in the door handle.

2. I think the word "need" is both transitive and intransitive. Which nature does this exhibit? I think an intransitive verb can't be passive. Personally, I think it could be both (since both verb forms can accommodate a continuous verb form).

He was needing an aspirin.
  

Top answer

You can't put an intransitive verb in the passive. Don't open the box until your birthday; the box is not to be opened until your birthday. Here you have a transitive verb put in the passive.

— BarbaraPA

  • You can't put an intransitive verb in the passive.
  • Don't open the box until your birthday; the box is not to be opened until your birthday.
  • Here you have a transitive verb put in the passive.
  • But it won't work with an intransitive.
  • He was needing an aspirin is not passive.
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9 Answers
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You can't put an intransitive verb in the passive. Don't open the box until your birthday; the box is not to be opened until your birthday. Here you have a transitive verb put in the passive. But it won't work with an intransitive.
He was needing an aspirin is not passive. It's past continuous. (It's also pretty awkward.)

An aspirin was needed is the passive. (Also pretty awkw
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Hi Anon

Yes, the verb "remain" is intransitive, and I wouldn't ever expect to see it used in the passive voice. Sentence 1 is OK, and sentence 2 is not.

The verb "need" (meaning "must have") is transitive, and you have used it transitively in your sentence (past continuous tense). Your sentence is definitely not passive.
However, the verb "need" is also one of those
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Anonymous1. I think the word "remain" is intransitive. Is that why no. 2 is impossible, as I think it is?

1.The key is to remain in the door handle.
2.The key is to be remained in the door handle.
Yes. Your analysis is correct.
AnonymousI think the word "need" is both transitive and intransitive
It is listed in
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Hi. Can you tell me why there are these example entries for the phrase "to be remained" if the phrase is impossible (since the word "remained" is intransitive) as you seemed to have concurred?


??: Han'guk Singmul Poho Hakhoe, Han'guk Singmul Poho Hakhoe - 1964

... in the young larval stage treatments
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AnonymousHi. Can you tell me why there are these example entries for the phrase "to be remained" if the phrase is impossible (since the word "remained" is intransitive) as you seemed to have concurred?


??: Han'guk Singmul Poho Hakhoe, Han'guk Singmul Poho Hakhoe - 1964
... in the young larval stage

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(third person) seems to remain.
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Here is an example of "remained" in the passive:
Context:
Alice hid the keys in the box. (Active)
The keys remained hidden in the box (by Alice) for years. (Passive voice)
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I don't think so. 'Hidden' appears to me to be an adjective.
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AnonymousAlice hid the keys in the box. (Active)
The keys remained hidden in the box (by Alice) for years. (Passive voice)No! The keys continued to be in a certain state (hidden). Not a passive form of remain.

The grammatical pattern of passive voice requires a form of the verb to be together with the past participle of the verb to be made pas
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