Voice change: Imperative sentences
Voice Change of Imperative Sentences
An imperative sentence expresses a command, order, request, advice, prohibition, suggestion, or instruction.
1. Basic Rule: “Let + object + be + past participle”
For an ordinary imperative sentence beginning with a verb:
Active: Verb + Object
Passive: Let + Object + be + Past Participle (V³)
Examples:
Open the door.
→ Let the door be opened.
Write a letter.
→ Let a letter be written.
Clean the room.
→ Let the room be cleaned.
Read the book.
→ Let the book be read.
Do the work.
→ Let the work be done.
2. Imperative Sentence with “Please” / “Kindly”
When the sentence contains please/kindly, the passive is often formed using:
You are requested to + V¹
Examples:
Please help me.
→ You are requested to help me.
Please open the window.
→ You are requested to open the window.
Kindly wait here.
→ You are requested to wait here.
Please give me a glass of water.
→ You are requested to give me a glass of water.
Another acceptable pattern
Let + object + be + V³
Please open the door.
→ Let the door be opened, please.
For school examinations, when please/kindly clearly indicates a request, “You are requested to…” is generally the most natural transformation.
3. Commands and Orders
For an order or command, use:
You are ordered/instructed/commanded to + V¹
Examples:
Obey your teacher.
→ You are ordered to obey your teacher.
Leave the room.
→ You are ordered to leave the room.
Follow the instructions.
→ You are instructed to follow the instructions.
Maintain silence.
→ You are ordered to maintain silence.
However, in many conventional grammar exercises, the simple Let + object + be + V³ structure is also expected:
Shut the door.
→ Let the door be shut.
4. Advice
When the imperative sentence expresses advice, use:
You are advised to + V¹
Examples:
Take regular exercise.
→ You are advised to take regular exercise.
Take care of your health.
→ You are advised to take care of your health.
Work hard.
→ You are advised to work hard.
Avoid bad company.
→ You are advised to avoid bad company.
5. Negative Imperatives
Negative imperative sentences generally begin with Do not / Don't.
Rule
Let + object + not + be + V³
Examples:
Do not open the door.
→ Let the door not be opened.
Do not waste water.
→ Let water not be wasted.
Do not break the rules.
→ Let the rules not be broken.
More natural formal construction
You are forbidden/prohibited from + V-ing
Do not enter the room.
→ You are forbidden to enter the room.
Do not smoke here.
→ You are prohibited from smoking here.
For traditional school grammar, Let + object + not + be + V³ is an important pattern to remember.
6. “Never” in Imperative Sentences
With never, we can use:
Let + object + never + be + V³
Example:
Never tell a lie.
→ Let a lie never be told.
Never insult the poor.
→ Let the poor never be insulted.
Never break your promise.
→ Let your promise never be broken.
A more natural modern construction is often:
Never tell a lie.
→ You are advised never to tell a lie.
7. Imperatives Beginning with “Do”
Sometimes Do is used for emphasis.
Active: Do + V¹ + object.
Passive: Let + object + be + V³.
Examples:
Do open the door.
→ Let the door be opened.
Do help the poor.
→ Let the poor be helped.
Do complete the work.
→ Let the work be completed.
The emphatic do usually disappears in the passive.
8. Imperatives with Two Objects
Some verbs take two objects, such as give, send, show, tell, offer, lend.
Example:
Give me a book.
Two passive forms are possible:
Let me be given a book.
Let a book be given to me.
Similarly:
Give him the money.
→ Let him be given the money. → Let the money be given to him.
Show me the picture.
→ Let me be shown the picture. → Let the picture be shown to me.
9. Imperatives with “Let”
This is an important special case.
A. “Let me + verb”
It usually expresses a request for permission.
Active: Let me + V¹
Passive: Let me be + V³
Examples:
Let me do the work.
→ Let the work be done by me.
Let me open the door.
→ Let the door be opened by me.
Let me write a letter.
→ Let a letter be written by me.
B. “Let him/her + verb”
Active: Let + object + V¹
Passive: Let + object + be + V³
Examples:
Let him do the work.
→ Let the work be done by him.
Let her sing a song.
→ Let a song be sung by her.
Let them play the game.
→ Let the game be played by them.
10. “Let us / Let's”
Let's generally expresses a suggestion/proposal.
The usual passive transformation is:
Let us + V¹ → Let us + be + V³
Examples:
Let us play football.
→ Let football be played by us.
Let us discuss the matter.
→ Let the matter be discussed by us.
Let us help the poor.
→ Let the poor be helped by us.
However, in natural English, a suggestion is often better expressed as:
Let us clean the room.
→ The room should be cleaned by us.
11. “Let's not…”
For a negative suggestion:
Let's not + V¹ → Let + object + not + be + V³
Example:
Let's not waste time.
→ Let time not be wasted by us.
Let's not break the rules.
→ Let the rules not be broken by us.
12. Imperatives with “Be”
When an imperative sentence begins with Be, it may express advice, instruction, or command.
Examples:
Be honest.
→ Let honesty be maintained.
Be careful.
→ Let care be taken.
Be quiet.
→ Let silence be maintained.
Be alert.
→ Let alertness be maintained.
But these transformations can sound unnatural because be + adjective often has no direct object. In such cases, an alternative construction is preferable:
Be careful.
→ You are advised to be careful.
Be honest.
→ You are advised to be honest.
13. Imperatives with “Keep”
Examples:
Keep the door closed.
→ Let the door be kept closed.
Keep the room clean.
→ Let the room be kept clean.
Keep the window open.
→ Let the window be kept open.
14. Imperatives with “Never + object”
Examples:
Never waste your time.
→ Let your time never be wasted.
Never neglect your parents.
→ Let your parents never be neglected.
Never disobey your elders.
→ Let your elders never be disobeyed.
15. Imperatives with “Always”
Examples:
Always speak the truth.
→ Let the truth always be spoken.
Always respect your parents.
→ Let your parents always be respected.
Always obey your teachers.
→ Let your teachers always be obeyed.
16. When the Imperative Has No Object
An imperative verb without an object often cannot be changed into the ordinary “Let + object + be + V³” pattern.
Examples:
Sit down.
Come here.
Go away.
Stand up.
Run fast.
These do not have a normal direct passive equivalent because there is no object to become the subject.
For example:
❌ Let be sat down.
❌ Let here be come.
Instead, if a transformation is required, a contextual construction may be used:
Sit down.
→ You are requested to sit down.
Go away.
→ You are ordered to go away.
17. Imperatives with “Do not + object + verb”
Formula
Do not + V¹ + object
→ Let + object + not + be + V³
Examples:
Active Passive
Do not waste water. Let water not be wasted.
Do not break the glass. Let the glass not be broken.
Do not open the box. Let the box not be opened.
Do not disturb him. Let him not be disturbed.
Do not punish the boy. Let the boy not be punished.
18. Imperatives Expressing Requests
The following expressions usually indicate a request:
Please / Kindly / I request you to…
Examples:
Please lend me your pen.
→ You are requested to lend me your pen.
Kindly help the old man.
→ You are requested to help the old man.
Please wait outside.
→ You are requested to wait outside.
19. Imperatives Expressing Prohibition
Use:
You are forbidden/prohibited from + V-ing
Examples:
Do not enter this room.
→ You are forbidden to enter this room.
Do not use mobile phones here.
→ You are prohibited from using mobile phones here.
Do not park your vehicle here.
→ You are prohibited from parking your vehicle here.
20. Imperatives Expressing Advice
Use:
You are advised to + V¹
Examples:
Read more books.
→ You are advised to read more books.
Avoid junk food.
→ You are advised to avoid junk food.
Consult a doctor.
→ You are advised to consult a doctor.
21. Quick Formula Chart
Type Active Passive
Simple command Open the door. Let the door be opened.
Request Please open the door. You are requested to open the door.
Advice Work hard. You are advised to work hard.
Order Leave the room. You are ordered to leave the room.
Negative Do not open the door. Let the door not be opened.
Prohibition Do not enter. You are forbidden to enter.
Never Never waste time. Let time never be wasted.
Let me Let me do it. Let it be done by me.
Let him Let him do it. Let it be done by him.
Let them Let them play. Let the game be played by them.
Let's Let us discuss it. Let it be discussed by us.
Two objects Give me a pen. Let me be given a pen.
⭐ Golden Rule for Examinations
For most ordinary imperative sentences, remember:
V¹ + Object → Let + Object + be + V³
Write the letter.
→ Let the letter be written.
For request/advice/order, however, it is often better to identify the sense first:
Please/KIndly → You are requested to…
Advice → You are advised to…
Order → You are ordered/instructed to…
Prohibition → You are forbidden/prohibited from…
.
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