Passive - something what any book doesn't cover

Question

Hello all! It's me , Tanner92. Unfortunately I have found (I am talented when it comes to finding unusual things in English grammar) something very crazy because my teacher don't know how it works and I haven't found any book covering this topic.

The building is built.... = I can not say this meaning that the building was built. It would mean that the building has been built for some time and works haven't finished yet. So the correct way to say this would be "The building was built/has been built." - NOT "is built."

However I could say:

My thesis is decided into two parts.

The building is closed.

This makes feel incredibly uncomfortable when speaking as I am always controlling myself whether I speak correct English or not.

I am also lost and confused as I am not quite sure whether I could say:

The results of the research are analyzed and processed into charts.

I asked my teacher and she thinks it works the same way as the first "building" example and the correct way to express this is "were analyzed and processed" - because it is not something what is still happening, happens regularly or so but this happened - the same as in the original "building" sentence.

What would you suggest that I should learn? I am open to everything. Do you think there is a list of verbs which can be used as the "decided and close" examples + and another group of verbs whichwork as the " build and analyzed" examples?

Thank you.

T.

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

Tanner92The building is built

You are right that the present passive of dynamic verbs is rarely used. On the day that the building is finished, I suppose you can say - The building is built! Finally! But, once the building is built, it is finished. There is no more action of "building." So later on, we say "The building was built during 2012 and 2013." The action is complete.

Tanner92My thesis is decided into two parts.

My thesis is divided into two parts.
The building is closed.

These verbs describe a static state of affairs. The thesis is not going to change to three or four parts. The building remains closed until it opens. "Divided" and "closed" are not dynamic verbs such as "build."

Tanner92The results of the research are analyzed and processed into charts.

Context one: The professor is explaining the research process to new students:
First we design an experiment. Then we assemble the equipment. Finally we do the experiments.
The results of the experiments are analyzed and processed into charts. Then we write an article and publish the results.

The verbs "are analyzed" and "are processed" is talking about research in general.

Context two: A student is describing the research work he did for his thesis.
I designed this experiment, and built all the equipment. Then I did the experiments for three months. The results of the experiments were analyzed and processed into charts. I used these charts in my thesis. My thesis is divided into two parts: the experimental design, and the conclusions.

The verbs "were analyzed" and "were processed" is talking about the finished research.

Tanner92 · Answer

What a classy answer! Thank you AS <img class='emoticon' style='Width:19px;Height:19px;' data-delaysrc='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' src='https://uat-englishforward-forums-backend.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/Emoticons/1.gif' alt='Emotion: smile'/>

Tanner92 · Answer

Hello AlpheccaStars

Could I ask you to help me with one more additional thing I am struggling here with?

From my experience on forums I´ve noticed it is not very popular for teachers/native speakers to comeback to old topics when there is added a question after some while.

Still I´d appreciate if this could be an exception as the thread is not that long. Please.

AlpheccaStarsThe building is built! Finally! But, once the building is built, it is finished. There is no more action of "building."The action is complete.

I´d understand this. The issue I am having here is that the same can be said about the "divided/closed" sentences - there is no more action either.

AlpheccaStarsMy thesis is divided into two parts.The building is closed. The thesis is not going to change to three or four parts.

I´d consider this a complete action as well as in the "built" example and use past simple.

+ The house in the first example is not going to "change" either!

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Built, closed and divided are past participles. As you have noticed, they can be used in different categories of "passive" other than the true passive.

The use of past participles adjectives was described in an old post by CJ. I have added your three examples in blue.

According to Palmer (The English Verb), besides the plain vanilla 'passive' with an agent introduced by by (The man was killed by his wife.), which we may call the 'true passive', and the passive without an agent, or 'agentless passive' (The man was killed.), also a 'true passive', there are three other categories of passive -- the pseudo-passive, the semi-passive, and the statal passive. None of these three is a 'true passive'.

To understand the three types of 'false passive' (if you'd like to call them that!), it is first necessary to understand the tests for being an adjective, as enumerated by Palmer. These tests are as follows. An adjective generally can be used before a noun, after a linking verb, with the adverbs very, rather, more, or most, (sometimes with already), and coordinated with another adjective with and. Not all of these are possible for every adjective, but they are generally possible for most adjectives. The following examples show, with these tests, how finished is an adjective.
a finished product (use before a noun) a divided electorate, a closed door, a well-built structure
The work is finished. (use after a linking verb) The thesis is divided, the building is built, the office is closed
*very finished (not really possible, since finished is not gradable)
already finished (use with already) The thesis is already divided, the building is already built, the office is already closed
It is finished and ready. (with and and another adjective)
____

Now for the categories.

The pseudo-passive has no corresponding active form and the past participle is completely adjectival.
The room seems very crowded. (Note the linking verb and very.)
The problem is complicated. (You could say very complicated or rather complicated. You could say difficult and complicated. You could say a complicated problem. These tests show that complicated is an adjective here.)

The semi-passive may appear to have a corresponding active form but is adjectival. Optionally, it may introduce the apparent agent with a preposition other than by, e.g., with or in. It may relate to emotional conditions. It may have negative forms with un-.
Jake was shocked by her behavior.
Roberta was worried about the exam.
Everyone was satisfied with the results.
We were quite uninterested in the presentation.

The statal passive is adjectival. The simple tense is very similar in meaning to the corresponding perfect tense, which (at least approximately) represents the corresponding agentless passive. Some examples can occur with already.
The glass is broken. (The glass has been broken.)
They were married for many years. ( They had been married for many years. Note married and happy, married couple, already married, unmarried -- signs of being an adjective.)
The exams are finished. (See the adjective tests for finished above.)

None of the three types discussed above are 'true passives'. It is often difficult to place a given usage exactly in one of the categories, so in spite of these guidelines, there are still ambiguous cases. Even some of the examples given above might be placed in a different category. Only context can resolve them.

Passive - something what any book doesn't cover

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