Need help with passive and active voices

Question

Hello.How to understand what is right and wrong. I have the sentence:"The mail is delivered by Tom" It means that Tom delivers the mail every day or often. And what about this? "the execution is finalized" It means that the execution was already finished (the action isn't lasting). So, what's the diffrence? Thanks in advance.

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

The execution is finalized -- This means that the decision to execute has been made. No one has been killed yet.

More generally, you seem to be misled, because you are wondering about 'every day', 'often', and 'not lasting'. Frequency and duration have no relation to active vs passive voice. Please explain further your concern about the rightness or wrongness of your 2 sentences.

Fattyshank · Answer

Okay, many thanks. I have no questions about those two, but how to understand it right if you're not informed about the ending of the sentence. For example: "The cars are sold". What could it mean? The cars had been sold in the past or they're solding right now? Thanks again, waiting for answer

Mister Micawber · Answer

The cars are sold -- 'Sold' is an adjective indicating the condition of the cars. The cars have been sold; there are no cars left to sell; their new owners have them now. That is what your words say.

However, if the context offers more information, like 'the cars are sold only on Sundays', then of course it means something different. That is why it is not very useful to look at isolated phrases outside of any context and try to find meaning.

CalifJim · Answer

fattyshank"The mail is delivered by Tom" ... "The execution is finalized"

Be careful with is or are with a past participle. The past participle may be part of a passive voice constuction (is delivered) OR it may be simply an adjective (finalized).

In the first case something happens on a regular basis.

Customers are billed every month.

Fresh fish is bought and sold here every day.

Wheat is grown in these fields by a group of rich farmers.

In the second case a state of affairs exists in the present.

Finally, the car is fixed!

Karen is surprised that Joe is late.

This book is divided into three major sections.

Ambiguous cases exist. In those cases you won't be able to decide between 'passive' and 'adjective' without further information.

The same considerations apply to was or were with a past participle, of course.

CJ

Mister Micawber · Answer

In the first case something happens on a regular basis.

Ah, I see what fattyshank was getting at now, CJ, thanks. But of course, it needn't be regular: Customers are billed irregularly by the drunken butcher.

CalifJim · Answer

Mister Micawberof course, it needn't be regular

Right! Just "habitual aspect", whatever that may mean.

CJ

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