I found a sentence in this link:
He was determined not to complain in the presence of the nurse.
I got confused. Was the man controlled by other people? Why the passive form? Why not:
He determined not to complain in the presence of the nurse.
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He determined means he figured it was good. He was determined, call it a passive verb, call it an expression, means he was set, settled, focused, or resolute. No one determined him, as he was the agent of determination. Like he was fixated on not complaining, or was mortified that the nurse might tire of him. – Yosef Baskin Jun 23 '17 at 03:29
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1On a similar note, "He was closed to the idea" does not mean someone closed him. The word 'was' does not prove the passive. – Yosef Baskin Jun 23 '17 at 03:41
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It's not passive, the verb "was" is used to link the subject with its adjective. "Today he is determined" is a complete sentence and means the same as "Today he is resolute." Note that the adjective, resolute, does not end with -d, but some adjectives are past participles e.g. tired, disappointed, excited, etc. Simple Past: "Yesterday he was resolute" = "Yesterday he was determined." – Mari-Lou A Jun 23 '17 at 05:51