The passive

Passive VoicePassive Voice

When the agent (active subject)is unknownPeople speak English all over the worl

English is spoken all over the world.

when the agent is understood or not important. Don Quixote was written in 1605 (by….)

Guernica was painted in 1937 (by..)

When do we use Passive Voice?When do we use Passive Voice?

To make the object of the active verb more important

Christopher Columbus discovered America subject object

America was discovered byby Christopher Columbus subject

When do we use it?When do we use it?

We use the passive when:

we want to make the active object more important

we do not know the active subjectFUNCTION SUBJECT VERB OBJECT

Give importance to active object

President Kennedy

was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald

Active subject unknown

My wallet has been robbed

¿?

SubjectSubject: Person or object that suffered/enjoyed the results of an action.

The verb "to beto be" in the tense the action ocurred. The Past Participle Past Participle of the verb that represents

the action itself. Whatever complementscomplements that verb needs. In a few special cases we can also use byby + the

agentagent.

Structure of the sentenceStructure of the sentence

to BEBE gives us the tense of the action

the principal verb is always in Past ParticiplePast Participle

THE PASSIVE VERBTHE PASSIVE VERBto BE (in the active tense) + Past Participle (main verb) to BE (in the active tense) + Past Participle (main verb)

ACTIVE PASSIVE

She wants an ice-cream An ice-cream is wanted

He sent a letter A letter was sent

We will buy a new car next week A new car will be bought

They have been cutting the grass The grass has been being cut

Passive Tensespassive Form Examples

Present Simple Am/is/ are + PP The house is cleaned everyday

Past Simple Was/ Were + PP The house was cleaned yesterday

Present/Past Continuous Am/are/is being + PP

Was/ were being +PP

The house is being cleaned now.

The house was being cleaned yesterday at 7:00

Present Perfect/ Past Perfect

Has been+ PPHad been + PP

The house has been cleaned todayThe house had been cleaned before we arrived

Will Will be + PP The house will be cleaned tomorrow

Structure of the verbStructure of the verb

TENSES EXAMPLES

Present Simple Pigs are often used to find truffles

Present Continuous My house is being redecorated at the moment

Present Perfect I have never been given flowers on my birthday

Past Simple Guernica was painted by Picasso

Past Continuous When I saw him he was being followed by the police

Past Perfect She was angry because she had already been told three times

Future Simple When you get there everything will be finished

Going to - Future They are not going to be easily convinced

Conditional Simple You would be punished if they found out

Conditional Perfect If you hadn’t told them would I have been invited?

The passive sentenceThe passive sentenceACTIVE VOICEACTIVE VOICE

Active Subject

Active Verb

Direct Object

Robert gave a coina coin

byPassive Verb

Passive Subject

Agent

PASSIVE VOICEPASSIVE VOICEwas given by

The passive sentence The passive sentence (no)(no)

ACTIVE VOICEACTIVE VOICE

Active Subject

Active Verb

Direct Object

Indirect Object

Robert gave a coin TomTomto

byDirect Object

Passive Verb

Passive Subject

Agent

PASSIVE VOICEPASSIVE VOICEwas given by

1/They built this housethis house in 14662/ This houseThis house was built was built in 1466

1/ Swiss people speak French & GermanFrench & German2/ French & German French & German are spoken are spoken by Swiss people

1/ This book will change your lifeyour life2/ Your life Your life will be changed will be changed by this book

ExamplesExamples

1/ They have cut the grassthe grass2/ The grass The grass has been cuthas been cut

1/ They can’t answer your questionyour question2/ Your question Your question can’t be answeredcan’t be answered

ExamplesExamples

1/ Someone had to take herher to hospital after this2/ She had to be takenhad to be taken to hospital after the crash

1/ They shouldn’t allow the children the children to do these things 2/ The children The children shouldn’t be allowed shouldn’t be allowed to do these things

1/ 1/ SomeoneSomeone must tell must tell him him if we want him to knowif we want him to know2/ 2/ He He must be told must be told if we want him to know

More examples with 2 objectsMore examples with 2 objects

More examples with 2 objectsMore examples with 2 objects

1/ My mother is going to give meme a present2/ I I am going to be given am going to be given a present by my

mother1/ Susan wrote an e-mail to himto him1/ He was written was written an e-mail by Susan

Active or Passive Quiz 1 I ate a piece of chocolate cake.

2 The librarian read the book to the students.

3 The money was stolen.

4 They are paid on Fridays.

5 The movie is being made in Hollywood.

6 I washed my car three weeks ago.

7 His hair was cut by a professional.

8 I will introduce you to my boss this week.

9 It would have been fixed on the weekend.

10 The national anthem is being sung by Jason this time.

Active or Passive Quiz ANSWERS 1 I ate a piece of chocolate cake. ACTIVE

2 The librarian read the book to the students. ACTIVE

3 The money was stolen. PASSIVE

4 They are paid on Fridays. PASSIVE

5 The movie is being made in Hollywood. PASSIVE

6 I washed my car three weeks ago. ACTIVE

7 His hair was cut by a professional. PASSIVE

8 I will introduce you to my boss this week. ACTIVE

9 It would have been fixed on the weekend. PASSIVE

10 The national anthem is being sung by Jason this time. PASSIVE

Links to activities o http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises_list/passiv.htm

o http://wiki-u.wikispaces.com/Passive+Voice

o http://www.grammar-quizzes.com/passivesum.html (for advanced students)

GETGET is used instead of BEBE with passive meaning. Informal English.

I got stuck in a traffic jamShe is getting married

After NEEDNEED/WANTWANT the -ing form can be used with passive meaning

This job needs doingThat room wants cleaning

More passive stuffMore passive stuff

HAVE/ GET somethingsomething done: Arranging for or paying for somebody to do something for you. (Get is more informal).

He had his hair his hair cutShe got her carpet her carpet cleanedWe have had our car our car mendedThey had got their book their book translated


HAVE + HAVE + ObjectObject + + Past ParticiplePast Participle

Verbs like: Believe, Think, Consider, Say, Report, Know, Expect, Feel, Understand, Find1. Introductory IT is used

It is said is said that he started the firehe started the fireIt is thought is thought that she doesn't live in Londonshe doesn't live in LondonIt was known was known that the King is coming tomorrowthe King is coming tomorrow


IT + passive verb + complete subordinate sentence without changes

Verbs like: Believe, Think, Consider, Say, Report, Know, Expect, Feel, Understand, Find

It is said is said that he started the fire he started the fire (action in the Past)He is said He is said to have started to have started the fire the fire (Infinitive Perfect)It is thought is thought that she doesn't live in London she doesn't live in London (Present)She is thought She is thought to live to live in London in London (Infinitive Present)


Subordinate subject + verb passive + subordinate active verb in INFINITIVE.

The passive

Education

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