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The sentence is "He advised that she be placed in the one available incubator."

Could somebody explain why there is she be placed? is it passive voice?

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    other verbs that work like this: recommend, suggest, etc.
    – Lambie
    Apr 25, 2021 at 21:02

1 Answer 1

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'That she be placed' uses the subjunctive mood. We can use the subjunctive in two main instances: wishes or hypotheses, and imperatives. For an imperative (a necessity, a suggestion, or an imperative action), we form the expression using 'that' and the bare infinitive of a verb:

Necessity: it is essential that Peter send the money today.

Suggestion: he advised that the baby be placed in the incubator.

Imperative: the police require that he show his licence

The subjunctive tense in English (Cambridge)

Note that many native speakers are unaware of the correct use of the subjunctive (or even its existence), or, if they are, consider it old-fashioned. In today's casual speech it is very common to use the indicative mood in places that require the subjunctive. In the examples above you would often hear people say 'that Peter sends', 'that the baby is placed', and 'that he shows his licence'. The Oxford Living Dictionary says that it is acceptable but frowned upon to put the indicative in writing, even though many people do not apply the subjunctive in everyday informal speech.

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    Being subjunctive doesn't prevent it from being passive. An active-voice restatement is easy to find: "He advised that someone place her in the one available incubator." Apr 25, 2021 at 20:41
  • wow! that's some very deep sh*t that clears a lot in my head, thank you Oct 30, 2022 at 20:07

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