1. GRAMMAR TIME
PASSIVE VOICE
By Lilian Marchesoni

2. COMPARE ACTIVE AND PASSIVE.
Somebody built this house in (active)
subject
object
This house was built in (passive)
subject

3. We use an active verb to say what the subject does.
My grandpa was a builder.
He built this house in 1930.
It’s a big company.
It employs two hundred people.

4. We use a passive verb to say what happens to the subject.
This house is quite old.
It was built in 1930.
Two hundred people are employed
by the company.

5. When we use the passive, who or what causes the action is often unknown or unimportant.
A lot of money was stolen in the robbery.
(somebody stole it but we don’t know who)
Is this room cleaned every day?
(does somebody clean it? – it’s not important who)

6. THE PASSIVE WITH VARIOUS TENSES

7. PRESENT SIMPLE Active: clean(s) / see(s) / cause(s) etc.
Passive: am/is/are + cleaned / seen / caused etc.
Somebody cleans this room every day.
This room is cleaned every day.
Dangerous driving causes many accidents.
Many accidents are caused by dangerous driving.

8. PAST SIMPLE Active: cleaned / saw / caused etc.
Passive: was/were + cleaned / seen / caused etc.
Somebody cleaned this room last week.
This room was cleaned last week.
Somebody left these books in the classroom yesterday.
These books were left in the classroom yesterday.

9. PRESENT CONTINUOUS Active: am/is/are doing / playing / making
Passive: am/is/are + being + done / played / made
Somebody is cleaning the room at the moment.
The room is being cleaned at the moment.
Someone is using the computer now.
The computer is being used now.

10. PRESENT PERFECT Active: have/has done / made / seen etc.
Passive: have/has + been + done / made / seen etc.
The room looks nice. Somebody has cleaned it.
The room looks nice. It has been cleaned.
My brother hasn’t washed the dishes.
The dishes haven’t been washed.

11. FUTURE (WILL) Active: will see / tell / clean etc.
Passive: will + be + seen / told / cleaned etc.
Somebody will clean the room soon.
The room will be cleaned soon.
This car is too old. Nobody will steal it!
This car is too old. It won’t be stolen!