'develop' active/passive?

[fellowcoco]

Can anyone explain why active voice should be used instead of passive voice in the following sentence?


Chicago has developed into a big city since the late 1800s.


Chicago has been developed into a big city since the late 1800s.

 

[Alxmrphi]

Because it's a city, people did work to make it what it is, the entity "Chicago" didn't do it by itself, it had an action done to it, to make it what it is.
It's the same when talking about houses, a 'house' cannot do anything.. that's why we say:

A house was built.
A house has been built.

The first example of 'has developed' doesn't seem right, only your second example.

 

[Loob]

Can anyone explain why active voice should be used instead of passive voice in the following sentence?


Chicago has developed into a big city since the late 1800s.

Think of the active version as "develop into" with the meaning "become".

As in:
My nephew has developed into a very nice young man.