Passive – intransitive verbs

INTRANSITIVE VERB	TRANSITIVE VERB
An intransitive verb is an action that happens by itself. The verb is not used with an object; therefore, no passive form can be used.	A transitive verb is an action that someone or something does to something or someone. The verb is used with an object. A passive form can be used.
The earthquake happened on March 11, 2011 in Japan.	The tsunami wave killed hundreds of people.
The earthquake was happened on March 11, 2011 in Japan.	Hundreds of people were killed by the tsunami wave (that followed the earthquake).

Other intransitive verb contrasts: lie-lay sit-set rise-raise

These verbs do not occur with objects, so they cannot be used in the passive voice.

*Except: I was had. (slang) – someone took advantage of me.

INTRANSITIVE VERB	TRANSITIVE VERB
Most stative verbs do not take passive form. However, in some cases a verb may have an intransitive and a transitive verb meaning. Note that the intransitive meaning of weigh has no passive form.	The transitive meaning of the verb weigh does have a passive verb form.

ACTIVE VERB Arnold weighs 250 lbs. (stative verb)	ACTIVE VERB The doctor weighed the baby. (active verb + has an object)
(no passive possible)	PASSIVE VERB VERB The baby was weighed by the doctor.

(Do not confuse the stative verbs with their "active" forms. See stative verbs.)

MENTAL STATES	EMOTIONAL STATES	STATES OF POSSESSION	SENSE PERCEPTIONS	OTHER STATES
know / think / believe	love (can be passive)	have	taste	seem / appear / look
want / need / desire	like (can be passive)	belong	smell	resemble / look like
feel / suppose / imagine	appreciate (can be passive)	own	hear	cost / owe / weigh / equal
understand / recognize	prefer (can be passive)	possess	see	be / exist / matter
forget / remember	fear (can be passive)		feel	consist of / contain / include

Also see Stative Verbs (especially note the contrast of passive and active states for some verbs)

ERROR	FIX
*The accident was happened a week ago. (A transitive verb has no object and, therefore, cannot be passive)	The accident happened a week ago.
*My mother bore me in 1981. (The active form is hardly ever used.)	I was born in 1981.
*The College of San Mateo locates on a hilltop. (The verb has a different meaning in active and passive forms.)	The College of San Mateo is located on a hilltop. (exists) The Board of Regents will locate the new college on a hilltop. (to situate / to build)
The car was cost me just three thousand dollars.	The car cost me three thousand dollars. (not used in the passive form) I was charged three thousand dollars for the car.

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#	YOUR RESPONSE	FEEDBACK
1.	I'll never forget the earthquake in Italy. It on April 6, 2009.
2.	The earthquake in the middle of the night. It caused my city over night.
3.	Every thing and was moved around. Our car with other cars on the street . collide (v.) – crash
4.	The earthquake only a couple of minutes. In that short time, every thing .
5.	After it stopped, I looked around. The house I had been sleeping in . The house a deck of cards. It had fallen down. resemble (v.) – look like
6.	I outside for something familiar. Everything . There were just stones and rocks on the ground.
7.	I heard people walking around and shouting. I . Suddenly, my father in front of me. I was so relieved.
8.	In the next few hours, people from the fallen buildings and were walking in the street looking for their family members. emerge (v.) – come out of
9.	My family, which of five people, became only two.

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