Confusion regarding active and passive

Question

Hi everyone!!

i am a new member here.

i have question . One thing is making me confused. i am wondering whether i would make the sentence a passive or active form.

no1:

cars increased over the period from 1990 to 2000.

my question is why it would be like this .why not the following one.

cars were increased over the period from 1990 to 2000.

i will really appreciate if someone can give me very clear idea abt it.

thanks

sumita

Avangi · Accepted Answer

cars increased over the period from 1990 to 2000.

cars were increased over the period from 1990 to 2000.

"To increase" can be transitive or intransitive. In your original, it's intransitive. There's no actor. they just do it. (You might say the cars are the actors.) That is, the author does not wish at this point to address why or how the cars increased. (Maybe later.)

But passive voice must use the transitive meaning. Even though no actor is mentioned, one is implied. Somebody or something increased the cars.

This passive version gives me the feeling that there was some kind of conspiracy to increase the cars. (Hey, maybe there was!)

But the author chooses not to take this approach.

Both versions are correct, but the author probably had his reasons for going with the intransitive active.

I wouldn't describe this as "very clear," but it's a shot.

Welcome to English Forums, sumita. Thanks for joining us! [<:o)]

Confusion regarding active and passive

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions