Passive with verb plus infinitve

[sophist75]

Hi Everyone,

One of my students wrote the following ungrammatical clause:

"everything will be started to get worsen"

She explained that she wanted to write it in the passive, and I take it that she intended to transform the following clause into the passive:

"everything will start to get worse".

Now I'm having trouble explaining to her what the problem is here. Is it that one can't turn "will start to get" into the passive because it is in some sense intransitive? Any help regarding the rules which apply in the case will be much appreciated.

 

[Raymott]

Yes, 'get' here means 'become', and 'become' is intransitive.* Also 'get worse' means 'worsen', so 'get worsen' is another error.

* 'Become' is transitive in "Your dress becomes you."

 

[sophist75]

OK, it's much clearer now. Thanks for your quick reply.

 

[Barb_D]

Yes, 'get' here means 'become', and 'become' is intransitive.* Also 'get worse' means 'worsen', so 'get worsen' is another error.

* 'Become' is transitive in "Your dress becomes you."

Note, though, that "You are becomed by this dress" is not a workable sentence. Not every transitive verb can be transformed into the passive.