Learn English with English, baby!

Join for FREE!

Social_nav_masthead_logged_in

English Forums

Use our English forums to learn English. The message boards are great for English questions and English answers. The more you contribute, the more all members can practice English!

:  

Ask Ebaby! Teachers Go Super!

passive voice with 'is to be'

unwound

Turkey

I know passive voice like 'He was sent' but I did'n understant this structure.

 

A team of "supernannies" is to be sent to some of Britain's most deprived areas to help parents control antisocial children, Tony Blair revealed today.

 

Some homeless children are to be sent to care centers to be looked after by expert nannies by goverment, BBC claimed today. 

 

What does 'is to be sent/are to be sent' mean?

 

 

08:00 AM Jun 27 2009 |

The iTEP® test

  • Schedule an iTEP® test and take the official English Practice Test.

    Take Now >

Teacher AmySuper Member!

United States

Great question! In this case, "is to be sent" and "are to be sent" is the future tense in passive voice. It is the same as "will be sent" but the tone is a bit more formal.

AmySmile

06:59 PM Jun 29 2009 |