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§ 22. The Passive Voice and the Nominal Predicate.

The combination to be+ Participle II can denote an action, in which case it is a simple predicate expressed by a verb in the Passive Voice. It can also denote a state, then it is a compound nominal predicate consisting of a link verb and a predicative.

It was very hot in the room because all the windows were

closed (nominal).

The door was closed at seven o’clock by the porter. (verbal)

The compound nominal predicate expressed by the verb to be and Participle II can be translated only by the verb быть+ краткое страдательное причастие. In the Present the Verb быть is not used.

The vase is broken. Ваза разбита.

When I came, the papers were signed and lay on the secretary's table.

Когда я пришел, документы были подписаны и лежали на столе секретаря.

It is sometimes difficult to discriminate between the verb to be+ Participle II as a simple predicate and as a compound nominal predicate.

1. We have the Passive Voice (simple predicate) in the following cases:

a) when the doer of the action is indicated (as a rule).

Other possibilities were considered by my colleagues.

They were thus introduced by Holly. (Galsworthy)

b) when there is an adverbial modifier of place, frequency and, as a rule, of time.

The whole affair was soon forgotten.

The library door was opened at midnight.

Good books are quickly sold.

He was arrested at the hotel.

c) when the verb is used in the Continuous or in the Perfect form.

What sort of research is being done, and who is doing it?

You can see that this glass has been used.

I’ve been turned out of the place were I live.

d) When the verb to be is associated with Participle II of non-terminative verbs like to love, to like, to respect, to honour, to hate:

He was most highly esteemed by Mr. Darcy. (Austen)

She is loved by all her friends.

He was admired for his courage.

Is he generally liked?

e) When the predicate is in the Future tense (or Future in the Past)

The entrance door will be closed at seven.

Further details will be given in subsequent chapters.

2. We have a compound nominal predicate in the following cases:

a) usually when the verb to be is in the Present or Past Perfect Inclusive and the notional verb admits of the Continuous form.

Why don't you go and take the documents? They are ready. They have been typed these two hours.

Our things had been packed for two hours and we were impatiently pacing up and down the room when at last we heard the sound of wheels.

b) when Participle II denotes a state of mind. In this case the predicate is compound even if there is an object introduced by the preposition by. This object does not denote the doer of an action but the cause of the state.

Elisabeth was distressed. (Austen)

I was surprised to see Mr. Darcy in town last month. (Austen)

I was so frightened I didn’t know what to do. (Austen)

When these criteria cannot be applied the context itself helps to decide whether the predicate is a simple or a compound nominal one.

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