Passive voice

What is the passive voice? ACTIVE SENTENCE: the subject is a doer of the verb For example: Someone broke the window. verbSubjectComplement The subject did the action. PASSIVE SENTENCE: the subject is acted upon by some other agent For example: The window was broken (by someone). verbSubjectAgent The subject didn’t do the action.

ShakespeareShakespearewrotewroteHamletHamlet subject active verb object From active to passive

ShakespeareShakespearewrotewroteHamletHamlet

Passive: Past Simple wrote was/were TO BE (same tense) Past participle of TO WRITE written Active Form: Passive Form:

Passive: Past Continuous Was / were writing Was / were being TO BE (same tense) Past participle of TO WRITE written Active Form: Passive Form:

writes is TO BE (same tense) Past participle of TO WRITE written Passive: Present Simple Active Form: Passive Form:

is writing is being TO BE (same tense) Past participle of TO WRITE written Passive: Present Continuous Active Form: Passive Form:

has written has been TO BE (same tense) Past participle of TO WRITE written Passive: Present Perfect Active Form: Passive Form:

had written had been TO BE (same tense) Past participle of TO WRITE written Passive: Past Perfect Active Form: Passive Form:

will write will be TO BE (same tense) Past participle of TO WRITE written Passive: Future Simple Active Form: Passive Form:

Passive: Future be going to Is going to write Is going to be TO BE (same tense) Past participle of TO WRITE written Active Form: Passive Form:

can write can be TO BE (same tense) Past participle of TO WRITE written Passive: modals Active Form: Passive Form:

Passive: Have to Have / has to write Have / has to be TO BE (same tense) Past participle of TO WRITE written Active Form: Passive Form:

Passive Formation: summary

ShakespeareShakespearewrotewroteHamletHamlet was written was written byby From active to passive

AlmodóvarAlmodóvardirecteddirectedVolverVolver was directed was directed byby From active to passive

NATASHA BEDINGFIELD BEDINGFIELDNATASHA singssingsUnwrittenUnwritten is sung is sung byby From active to passive

John Logie Baird invented the TV in1924 The TV was invented by John Logie Baird in1924

From active to passive They will announce the winner today The winner will be announced today …by them

From active to passive Alejandro Amenábar wrote and directed The Others The Others was written and directed … …by Alejandro Amenábar

From active to passive They have published his diaries recently His diaries have been published recently …by them

From active to passive People spend too much time watching TV Too much time is spent watching TV …by people

From active to passive Violent programmes affect children Children are affected …by violent programmes

From active to passive They are selling illegal videos at the market Illegal videos are being sold at the market …by them

From active to passive Science can’t explain love Love can’t be explained by science

From active to passive They have to ban all boring romantic films All boring romantic films have to be banned

From active to passive Builders are building a new statue of Cupid A new statue of Cupid is being built

From active to passive Will people discover the secret formula? Will the secret formula be discovered?

From active to passive Scientists were testing a new chemical A new chemical was being tested by scientists

From active to passive: verbs with two objects They sent a telegram to the winner A telegram was sent to the winner The winner was sent a telegram Direct objectIndirect object

From active to passive: verbs with two objects They gave him some books Some books were given to him He was given some books

From active to passive: verbs with two objects A good-looking stranger sent you these flowers These flowers were sent to you by a good-looking stranger You were sent these flowers by a good-looking stranger

From active to passive: verbs with two objects Tim gave Sara a diamond ring A diamond ring was given to Sara by Tim Sara was given a diamond ring by Tim

From active to passive: verbs with two objects They offered Kate the job The job was offered to Kate Kate was offered the job

From active to passive: verbs with two objects Mr Merrick taught me Spanish Spanish was taught to me by Mr Merrick I was taught Spanish by Mr Merrick

When do we use passives? Passives have three basic uses: A. focus on the object. B. we don't know the subject C. more formal Cellphones are used all over the world. The window was broken last night. Students are provided with a textbook. We want to focus on cellphones here, not on who uses them. We don't know who broke the window, so we focus on the window instead. This sounds more formal and impersonal than 'We will provide students with a textbook.'

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