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What is the passive voice of bury?

Published in Grammar Voice 3 mins read

The passive voice of bury is formed by combining a form of the verb to be (such as is, was, will be) with the past participle buried.

Understanding Active vs. Passive Voice

To grasp the passive voice of bury, it's essential to understand the distinction between active and passive voice in English grammar.

Active Voice

In the active voice, the subject of the sentence performs the action. The structure is typically Subject + Verb + Object.

  • Example: A gardener buries the time capsule. (The gardener is the subject performing the action of burying.)

Passive Voice

In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence receives the action. The agent performing the action might be mentioned (using "by" phrase) or omitted. The structure is typically Subject + Form of "to be" + Past Participle (+ by Agent).

  • Example: The time capsule is buried by the gardener. (The time capsule is the subject receiving the action of being buried.)

Consider another example: when a squirrel buries a pecan, the squirrel is the active subject. When you shift this to the passive voice, the pecan becomes the subject that is buried by the squirrel.

Forms of "Bury" in the Passive Voice

The past participle of bury is buried. Therefore, the passive voice construction will always include buried preceded by an appropriate form of to be depending on the tense.

Here are various forms of the passive voice for bury:

Common Passive Voice Tenses for "Bury"

  • Present Simple Passive: is/are buried
    • Example: The treasure is buried deep in the ground.
  • Past Simple Passive: was/were buried
    • Example: The ancient artifacts were buried thousands of years ago.
  • Future Simple Passive: will be buried
    • Example: The time capsule will be buried next month.
  • Present Continuous Passive: is/are being buried
    • Example: The wires are being buried underground right now.
  • Past Continuous Passive: was/were being buried
    • Example: The pipe was being buried when the rain started.
  • Present Perfect Passive: has/have been buried
    • Example: The evidence has been buried for years.
  • Past Perfect Passive: had been buried
    • Example: The secret had been buried long before anyone discovered it.

Active vs. Passive Voice Comparison

Understanding the transformation can be simplified by comparing active and passive sentences:

Tense Active Voice Example Passive Voice Example
Present Simple They bury the old pipes. The old pipes are buried.
Past Simple The archaeologists buried the findings. The findings were buried by the archaeologists.
Future Simple We will bury the plant in spring. The plant will be buried in spring.
Present Perfect Someone has buried the keys. The keys have been buried.

When to Use Passive Voice

The passive voice is particularly useful when:

  • The actor (the one performing the action) is unknown or unimportant.
  • You want to emphasize the action itself or the recipient of the action rather than the actor.
  • You want to maintain objectivity, common in scientific or technical writing.

For more information on active and passive voice, you can consult resources like Purdue OWL's Active and Passive Voice guide.