Changing An Imperative Sentence Into The Passive - English Practice

Sentences which express request, order, advice, suggestion, prohibition etc., are called imperative sentences.

The imperative sentence in the passive voice has the following structure: Let + object + be + past participle When the active voice begins with do not, the passive voice has the following structure: Let not + object + be + past participle

In some sentences it is possible to put not after the object or be.

Examples are given below:

Active: Bring it home. Passive: Let it be brought home. Active: Do it at once. Passive: Let it be done at once. Active: Do not beat the dog. Passive: Let the dog not be beaten. Active: Let me do it. Passive: Let it be done by me. OR Let me be allowed to do it.

You can begin the sentence with you if you want to put emphasis on the person addressed to.

Examples are given below:

Active: Please help me. Passive: Let me be helped. Passive: You are requested to help me. Active: Don’t touch it. Passive: Let it not be touched. Active: You are warned not to touch it.

The passive form has to begin with you, when the object of the verb in the active voice is not given.

Active: Work hard. (No object) Passive: You are advised to work hard. Active: Get out. (No object) Passive: You are ordered to get out.

More examples are given below:

Active: Please lend me some money. Passive: You are requested to lend me some money. Active: Kindly do this work. Passive: You are requested to do this work. Active: Get me a glass of water. Passive: You are ordered to get me a glass of water. Active: Let us go for a walk. Passive: It is suggested that we should go out for a walk.

Note that suggest is followed by a -that clause and not an infinitive.

Sentences with modals

Active: You ought to respect your parents. Passive: Your parents ought to be respected by you. Active: You should learn your lessons. Passive: Your lessons should be learned by you.

In sentences where God is invoked the passive voice will be as follows:

Active: May God bless you! Passive: May you be blessed by God!