passive


 * PASSIVE VOICE **

** CONSTRUCTION **

subject + verb ‘//to be//’ + past participle of the main verb

**// Examples: //** - // The bridge was built in 2003. //  - // My car has been repaired by great mechanics. //  - // That is the film that was produced by Steven Spielberg. //

**// Remember: //** - The **subject** is passive. Therefore, it does not carry the action of the main verb - The verb ‘to be’ defines the **tense** (present simple, past continuous, etc.) of the passive verb. - The **agent** (the person who does the action of the main verb) is introduced by the preposition ‘//by’//.

** USE ** The passive voice is used when **the action itself is more important than who did it**. In some cases, we do not know or do not consider important who did the action.

** ACTIVE TO PASSIVE TRANSFORMATIONS **

** 1. ** ** PASSIVE SENTENCES WITH ONE DIRECT OBJECT. **

**// ACTIVE //**// : The children broke the window. // **// PASSIVE //**// : The window was broken by the children //

When rewriting active sentences in the passive voice, follow these steps: 1) The direct object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence (//The Window).//   2) The verb is changed into the passive voice (//broke – was broken//). 2.1) The verb ‘to be’ in the passive is in the same tense as the main verb in the active sentence (//broke – was//).   2.2) The main verb in its past participle form follows the verb ‘to be’ (//break – broken).// 3) The subject of the active sentence becomes the agent of the passive sentence.   3.1) The preposition //by// presents the agent. 3.2) The subject of the active sentence follows the preposition.  ** NOTE: ** if the subject of the active sentence is //they, someone, somebody, people// or other indeterminate person, the agent is usually omitted.

**// Look: //**
 * ** TENSE ** ||  ** SUBJECT **  ||  ** VERB **  ||  ** DIRECT OBJECT/AGENT **  ||
 * ** Present simple ** || ** Active: ** || They || grow || coffee in Colombia. ||
 * ^  || ** Passive: ** || Coffee || is grown || in Colombia. ||
 * ** Present continuous ** || ** Active: ** || Susan || is cooking || dinner. ||
 * ^  || ** Passive: ** || Dinner || is being cooked || by Susan. ||
 * ** Past simple ** || ** Active: ** || James Joyce || wrote || // Dubliners // . ||
 * ^  || ** Passive: ** || // Dubliners // || was written || by James Joyce. ||
 * ** Past continuous ** || ** Active: ** || They || were painting || the house when I saw them. ||
 * ^  || ** Passive: ** || The house || was being painted || when I saw them. ||
 * ** Present perfect ** || ** Active: ** || Somebody || has planted || new flowers in the garden. ||
 * ^  || ** Passive: ** || New flowers || have been planted || in the garden. ||
 * ** Past perfect ** || ** Active: ** || Rita || had sent || an email before I did. ||
 * ^  || ** Passive: ** || An email || had been sent || by Rita before I did. ||
 * ** Future simple ** || ** Active: ** || I || will finish || it tomorrow. ||
 * ^  || ** Passive: ** || It || will be finished || tomorrow. ||
 * **// Going to //**** future ** || ** Active: ** || They || are going to build || a new shopping centre here. ||
 * ^  || ** Passive: ** || A new shopping centre || is going to be built || here. ||

** 2. ** ** PASSIVE SENTENCES WITH TWO OBJECTS (INDIRECT AND DIRECT OBJECT). **

**// ACTIVE //**// : Maria sent me an email. // **// PASSIVE 1 //**// : I was sent an email (by Maria). // **// PASSIVE 2 //**// : An email was sent to me (by Maria). //

You can rewrite passive sentences with two objects (an indirect and a direct object) in two different ways: beginning with the indirect object (passive 1), or beginning with the direct object (passive 2). It depends on what you want to focus on. Usually, native speakers begin the passive with the indirect object (passive 1). When rewriting active sentences in the **passive voice 1**, follow these steps: 1) The indirect object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. Pay attention to the transformation from an object to a subject pronoun (//me// in the active sentence above becomes //I// in the passive//).//   2) The verb is changed into the passive voice (//sent – was sent//). 2.1) The verb ‘to be’ in the passive is in the same tense as the main verb in the active sentence (//sent – was//).   2.2) The main verb in its past participle form follows the verb ‘to be’ (//send – sent).// 3) Add the direct object. You don’t need to change it (//an email//)   4) The subject of the active sentence becomes the agent of the passive sentence. 3.1) The preposition //by// presents the agent.   3.2) The subject of the active sentence follows the preposition. ** NOTE: ** if the subject of the active sentence is //they, someone, somebody, people// or other indeterminate person, the agent is usually omitted.

When rewriting active sentences in the **passive voice 2**, follow these steps: 1) The direct object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence (//an email).//   2) The verb is changed into the passive voice (//sent – was sent//). 2.1) The verb ‘to be’ in the passive is in the same tense as the main verb in the active sentence (//sent – was//).   2.2) The main verb in its past participle form follows the verb ‘to be’ (//send – sent).// 3) Add the preposition ‘//to//’and the indirect object. You don’t need to change it (//to me//)   4) The subject of the active sentence becomes the agent of the passive sentence. 3.1) The preposition //by// presents the agent.   3.2) The subject of the active sentence follows the preposition. ** NOTE: ** if the subject of the active sentence is //they, someone, somebody, people// or other indeterminate person, the agent is usually omitted.

** 3. ** ** IMPERSONAL PASSIVE/PASSIVE WITH REPORTING VERBS ** This type of passive is used with verbs like //say, think, know, believe//. Here is an example:

**// ACTIVE //**// : They say that women live longer than men. // **// PASSIVE 1 //**// : It is said that women live longer than men. // **// PASSIVE 2 //**// : Women are said to live longer than men. //

When rewriting active sentences in the **passive voice 1**, follow these steps: 1) Write an impersonal construction, beginning the sentence with the pronoun //It//.   2) The first verb is changed into the passive voice (//say – is said//). 2.1) The verb ‘to be’ in the passive is in the same tense as the main verb in the active sentence (//say – is//).   2.2) The main verb in its past participle form follows the verb ‘to be’ (//say – said).// 3) Add “//that”// and the rest of the sentence.   When rewriting active sentences in the **passive voice 2**, follow these steps:    1) Begin the passive sentence with the subject of the second verb (//women//). 2) Change the first verb into the passive voice (//say – are said//).   2.1) The verb ‘to be’ in the passive is in the same tense as the main verb in the active sentence (//say – are//). 2.2) The main verb in its past participle form follows the verb ‘to be’ (//say – said).//   3) Add an infinitive phrase: 3.1) Write the preposition //to//.   3.2) Look at the main verb in the second part of the sentence. Add the appropriate form of the verb taking into account the information in this chart: Future simple || infinitive || Present perfect Past perfect || // have // + past participle || Present perfect continuous || // have been // + -//ing// || // Examples: // - // They believe the robber **is** from Oxford – The robber is believed **to be** from Oxford. //  - // They say Paul **has passed** his exams – Paul is said **to have passed** his exams. //  - // They think John **is studying** Medicine – John is believed **to be studying** Medicine. // **// ONLINE EXERCISES //** exercise 1 (passive sentences with one object) exercise 2 (passive sentences with one object) exercise 3 (passive sentences with one object) exercise 4 (passive sentences with one object) exercise 5 (active or passive?) exercise 6 (active or passive?) exercise 7 (passive sentences with two objects) exercise 8 (passive sentences with two objects - starting with the indirect object) exercise 9 (passive sentences with two objects - starting with the direct object) exercise 10 (impersonal passive/passive with reporting verbs - start with the subject of the second part of the sentence) exercise 11 (impersonal passive/passive with reporting verbs)
 * ** ACTIVE SENTENCE ** || ** PASSIVE SENTENCE ** ||
 * Present simple
 * Past simple
 * Present continuous || // be // + -//ing// ||
 * Past continuous