Passivization of verb 'Expect'

Question

Hey, guys. May I ask you a question about the verb 'expect'?
Now, the verb expect can take noun object and to-infinitive right after the noun. For example, I expect my sister to win this game.
Is this sentence can be passivized into the sentences below?
My sister is expected to win this game.
I expect that my sister would win this game. (or that my sister wins this game)

Thank you so much!

Philip · Accepted Answer

AnonymousMy sister is expected to win this game.
I expect that my sister would win this game.

Both sentences are correct. (will win is better than would)

Fosse8 · Answer

"Expect" is difficult because it has two subtly different meanings. You can confidently predict something will happen, or you can make it clear the event in question is a minimum requirement in your opinon.

"I expect I'll get at least a B on the exam" - confident prediction.
"I expect you to get at least a B on the exam" - minimum requirement.

When you say "I expect my sister to win this game", it can mean two things. Either you consider your sister to be a better player than her opponent, and you believe she's more likely to win - or, alternatively, you believe your sister should win the game, and losing would be unacceptable.

For either sense, "My sister is expected to win this game" is correct. Either your sister is generally considered a better player than her opponent and most people believe she's more likely to win - or, alternatively, your sister is under (unspecified) pressure to win the game.

"I expect that my sister would win this game" means something slightly different. Generally speaking, if you use the construction "I expect that...", you're making a supposition, rather than a bold prediction or subtle demand. "I expect that it will rain more this summer than last." "I expect that you already know what I'm about to say." In this example, you're either talking about a hypothetical game in the future (it's a perfectly acceptable response to the question: "Who would win in a game between your sister and the world number 23?", for instance), or else it's the beginning of a sentence with more information ("I expect that my sister would win this game nine times out of ten." "I expect that my sister would win this game easily, were it not for her knee injury.")

A better construction would be "I would expect my sister to win this game", which isn't as bold a prediction and carries less of an implied demand than "I expect my sister to win this game".

Passivization of verb 'Expect'

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