1
  1. No answer is given.
  2. It is given as an example.
  3. All items are provided.
  4. It is given as follows.
  5. It is stolen property.
  6. Why is present simple used in these sentence?

It is present simple passive but it does not function as present simple passive. It sounds like it has been done, past simple.

Is it different than

  1. b) No answer was given.
  2. b) It was given as an example.
  3. b) All items were provided.
  4. b) It was given as follows.
  5. b) It was stolen property.
  6. b) Why was Present Simple used in these sentence?
3
  • In these sentences or in this sentence? Which is it? And if only one sentence, then which sentence is being considered here? Dec 3, 2019 at 2:53
  • Also you have an example (5/5b) that is only slightly more than an existential clause. This is merely an assertion of identity with an attributive adjective. No passive voice occurs. Dec 3, 2019 at 3:10
  • All these sentences show 'the status' in passive voice of present indefinite. Voice change can reflect not the meaning, but the subject/object placement. sites.google.com/site/englishgrammarguide/Home/…; is a site that talks about it at the start itself.
    – Ram Pillai
    Aug 6, 2020 at 2:51

2 Answers 2

0

Though the present simple is used, in all the sentences the part participle is working as adjective there.

No answer is given

It is given as an example

All items are provided

It is stolen property

Since past participle is acting like adjective in the examples, they give the impression that the activities are completed but they are not used for a particular time

If we use the simple past they talk about the completed actions

0

Both present and past tenses could be correct, depending on what you mean.

In the first example, when did the lack of answer occur? To use the present tense means there is right now no answer. To use the past tense means there was at that time no answer, but an answer may (or may not) have been given since then.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .