As intransitive verbs don't act on something (i.e., have no objects), there is nothing to become the subject of a verb in the passive voice. Remember that these cannot be used in the passive voice. Other common intransitive verbs are to cry, to die, to disappear, and to wait. Our noses and ears grow throughout our lives.You can't smile a dog or look a dog, for example.) ( To smile and to look are intransitive verbs. Anybody who smiles automatically looks better.Being English, I always laugh at anything about the lavatory or bottoms.If a verb is intransitive (i.e., it does not act on something else), it will always be in the active voice. ( To name is a transitive verb i.e., you name something.) Avocados were named after the Nahuatl word for testicles.( To design is a transitive verb i.e., you design something.) That tiny pocket in jeans was designed to store pocket watches.( To kill is a transitive verb i.e., you kill something.) More people are killed taking selfies than in shark attacks.Only a verb that acts on something else (called a transitive verb) can be written in the passive voice. Philosophy was considered science once.At one time, Melbourne was known as Batmania.Here are some verbs in the passive voice with less obvious actions. Only a quarter of the Sahara Desert is sandy.The voice of Mickey Mouse and the voice of Minnie Mouse became husband and wife in real life.I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too.Dogs sniff good smells with their left nostril.The verbs in these four examples are all in the active voice. This is particularly true for verbs in the active voice. Remember though that not all verbs describe such obvious activities. In the examples above, the actions of the verbs ( to eat, to play, to attack) are obvious physical activities. The cage will be attacked by the sharks. Here are some more examples of verbs in the passive voice. The subject is doing the action of the verb.) Here are some more examples of verbs (shown in bold) in the active voice. If the subject is having the action done to it, then the verb is said to be in the passive voice. If the subject is performing the action, then the verb is said to be in the active voice.
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