1. The passive

2. We actually call this the “patient”
Form
We actually call this the “patient”
The passive is formed with these 3 elements:
“Object” + BE + past participle
The pencil was stolen
Our friend is known for her cooking.
This story has been told around the world.

3. Form The tense of the verb be shows us when it happened.
SIMPLE PAST
The tense of the verb be shows us when it happened.
The pencil was stolen
Our friend is known for his cooking.
This story has been told around the world.
SIMPLE PRESENT
PRESENT PERFECT

4. The Patient
You might have noticed that there is no subject for the passive, only the “object”.
Although it is the OBJECT in active sentences, it becomes the “SUBJECT” in the passive form (even though it’s RECEIVING the action!)
The pencil was stolen
Our friend is known for his cooking.
This story has been told around the world.

5. The Patient
As previously mentioned, we call this type of “subject” the PATIENT. You will often see it with all 3 names:
“Subject”
“Object”
Patient (Most accurate)
The pencil was stolen
Our friend is known for his cooking.
This story has been told around the world.

7. Use
We use the passive voice when the verb is more important than the subject.
When we do include the subject, it is now called the AGENT.
The man was murdered yesterday. We must catch the criminal.
The garbage will be removed tomorrow.

8. Use There are only 3 reasons why we include an agent with the passive:
An inanimate noun did it, surprisingly!
The name is important.
The information almost as important as the action.

9. Use There are only 3 reasons why we include an agent with the passive:
An inanimate noun did it, surprisingly!
The name is important.
The information is almost as important as the action.
300 people were killed by a tornado yesterday.
My pencil was broken by Yusuke.
The painting was stolen by a lady in a white dress.

10. YOUR TURN! What happened to the car? The car was ___________.
The car may have been ___________.

11. YOUR TURN! Make sentences about cultural foods.
Sushi is eaten in Japan.
___________ is drunk in __________.
____________ is eaten __________.

12. Questions Answered in This Presentation
What is the opposite of the passive voice?
What are the 3 possible names for the noun that receives the action in a passive sentence?
Why do we use the passive?
What are the 3 common reasons why we include the agent?

13. PRACTICE TIME (From Fundamentals of English Grammar 4th Ed)
Change the sentences below from active to passive.
The mouse ate the cheese.
The teacher helps us.
Leo mailed the package.
That company has hired Ellen.
The doctor was examining the patient.
The owner is going to announce new parking fees.

14. PRACTICE TIME - ANSWERS (From Fundamentals of English Grammar 4th Ed)
The cheese was eaten by the mouse.
We are helped by the teacher.
The package was mailed by Leo.
Ellen has been hired by that company.
The patient was being examined by the doctor.
New parking fees are going to be announced by the owner.

15. PRACTICE TIME (From www.tolearnenglish.com)
Change the sentences below from passive to active.
A novel is being read by Mary
A stone was being thrown by the kid
A car has been bought by him
Yam is eaten by people in my country
The jackpot will be won by her
A letter was written to him by her

16. PRACTICE TIME - Answers (From www.tolearnenglish.com)
Mary is reading a novel.
The kid was throwing a stone.
He has bought a car.
People in my country eat yam.
She will win the jackpot.
She wrote him a letter.
She wrote a letter to him.