Question

How we can change intransitive verb into passive voice?

Answer 1

You can’t change intransitive verbs into passive voice as they do not have a passive form in the first place.

However, some verbs can be used either transitively or intransitively based on its form in a sentence.

For example,

• Transitive: Could you move your car please?

• Intransitive: The trees were moving in the breeze.

You can write the first one in passive voice quite easily: Could your car be moved by you?

However, the second one cannot be written in passive voice as it does not have a direct object and ‘move’ isn’t being used as an action verb here.

Here’s another example:

• Transitive: Marriage hasn’t changed her.

• Intransitive: The area’s changed greatly in the last decade.

Similarly, the first one can be changed into passive voice as follows: She hasn’t been changed by marriage.

However, the same rules apply for the second sentence, and every other sentence which has an intransitive verb.

Hope this answers your question!