Understanding how phrasal verbs work in passive constructions
Q1. The building will be ___ down next month
TEAR DOWN becomes BE TORN DOWN in passive. Buildings fall. History yields to progress.
Q2. The invitation was ___ to everyone in the department
SEND OUT becomes WAS SENT OUT in passive. Invitations circulate. Responses await.
Q3. All flights have been ___ off due to the storm
CALL OFF becomes BEEN CALLED OFF in passive. Storms disrupt. Travel plans lapse.
Q4. The story was made ___ by the tabloids
MAKE UP becomes WAS MADE UP in passive. Fabrications emerge. Truth suffers.
Q5. Can all phrasal verbs be passivised?
Transitive phrasal verbs accept passive voice. Intransitive do not. Grammar has boundaries.