1. 2 The passive: structure
2.1 When the subject is the doer of the action, the verb is said to be active.
e.g. John wrote the note.
When the subject is the receiver of the action, the verb is said to be passive.
e.g. The note was written by John.
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2. Passive: am/are/is + p.p. Past simple Active: Ved/saw
Present simple
Active: Bf/Vs/Ves
Passive: am/are/is + p.p.
Past simple
Active: Ved/saw
Passive: was/were + p.p.
They clean the room every day.
The room is cleaned every day.
He broke the window yesterday.
The window was broken yesterday.
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3. He will do the project tomorrow. They are cleaning the room now.
Future simple
Active: will + Bf
Passive: shall/will + be + p.p.
Present continuous
Active: am/are/is + ing
Passive: am/are/is + being + p.p.
He will do the project tomorrow.
The project will be done tomorrow.
They are cleaning the room now.
The room is being cleaned now.
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4. Passive: was/were + being + p.p. Present perfect
Past continuous
Active: was/were + ing
Passive: was/were + being + p.p.
Present perfect
Active: have/has + p.p.
Passive: have/has + been + p.p.
They were cleaning the room when I came.
The room was being cleaned when I came.
They have eaten the cake.
The cake has been eaten.
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5. Passive: will have + been + p.p.
Past perfect
Active: had + p.p.
Passive: had + been + p.p.
Future perfect
Active: will have + p.p.
Passive: will have + been + p.p.
They had cleaned the room when I came.
The room had been cleaned when I came.
They will have cleaned the room when you return.
The room will have been cleaned when you return.
Note: The tenses that are not included in this table do not have the passive voice.
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6. 2.3 If there is one of the auxiliary verbs can/could, may/might, must, should, ought to, have/had to, need not, used to, be going to, or be to, the passive is formed by using the same verb + be + the past participle of the main verb that follows.
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7. Active: I do it this way. do can/could must may/might should ought to
have to
need not
am going to
am to
used to do
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8. Passive: It be done this way.
can/could
must
may/might
should
ought to
has to
need not
is going to
is to
used to
be done
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9. 2. 4. In the passive sentence, the doer of the
2.4 In the passive sentence, the doer of the action (by + agent) is not usually mentioned when:
it is a general term
Active: Workers use different tools to make different things.
Passive: Different tools to make different things.
Active: My brother made this bookcase.
Passive: This bookcase by my brother.
are used
Compare:
was made
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10. Active: Someone has stolen the money. Passive: The money .
it is unknown
Active: Someone has stolen the money.
Passive: The money
Active: One of the clerks has stolen the money.
Passive: The money (by one of the clerks).
it is a pronoun
Active: They are holding a debate.
Passive: A debate
Active: The students of Class A held a debate yesterday.
Passive: A debate (by the students of Class A) yesterday.
has been stolen
Compare:
has been stolen
is being held
Compare:
was held
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11. 2. 5. Prepositions after certain verbs retain
2.5 Prepositions after certain verbs retain their position after the verb in the passive sentence.
Active: I don’t think they will turn down your application.
Passive: I don’t think your application .
will be turned down
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12. 2.6 Some verbs such as ask, tell, give, offer, show, teach, pay, etc. can take two objects.
They offered the right candidate a high salary.
In the passive sentence, either of these two objects can be the subject:
The right candidate was offered a high salary.
A high salary was offered to the right candidate.
However, it is more usual for the passive sentence to begin with the person:
The right candidate was offered a high salary.
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13. He was seen to take the dictionary.
2.7 Some verbs are followed by an infinitive without to. In the passive voice, the infinitive takes to.
I saw him take the dictionary.
He was seen to take the dictionary.
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14. 2. 8. Sentences beginning with People say,
2.8 Sentences beginning with People say, People believe, People know, etc. may be changed into the passive voice in either of these two ways:
People say that he is innocent.
It is said that he is innocent.
He is said to be innocent.
They say that she was an actress.
It is said that she was an actress.
She is said to have been an actress.
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15. A Rewrite the following sentences in the passive voice.
Exercise 2
Hint: In changing a sentence from active to passive, follow these steps:
1) Find the object of the verb. Then make it the subject of the passive sentence. If the object is a pronoun, change it into the subject form.
2) Change the voice of the verb. In doing so, remember:
a) You must not change the tense.
b) The verb should agree in person and number with the subject of the passive sentence.
3) Mention the doer of the action (by + agent) only where necessary.
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16. Many companies use computers nowadays.
The workers are repairing the road.
They are going to pull down that old building.
They gave me 24 hours to make my decision.
5 We can use coal in many ways.
Computers are used by / in many companies nowadays.
The road is being repaired.
That old building is going to be pulled down.
I was given 24 hours to make my decision.
Coal can be used in many ways.
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17. The singer’s new album I’m sure
The teacher made him do the exercise again.
He was made to do the exercise again.
7 The singer will release her new album next week.
(Begin with the given words.)
The singer’s new album
will be released next week.
They will have finished the report by the end of
this month.
The report will have been finished by the end of this month.
9 I’m sure she has sent her application.
(Begin with the given words.)
I’m sure
her application has been sent.
10 Every driver ought to obey traffic rules.
Traffic rules ought to be obeyed by every driver.
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18. 11 I doubt if we should tell her the truth now.
I doubt if she should be told the truth now.
12 She heard him say that.
He was heard to say that.
13 They used to broadcast all programmes live.
All programmes used to be broadcast live.
14 You have left out his name.
His name has been left out.
They were giving out the names of the
prize-winners when a fight broke out.
The names of the prize-winners were
being given out when a fight broke out.
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19. The suspect may be hiding in Macau.
B Change the following sentences into the passive voice. The first one has been done for you.
The suspect may be hiding in Macau.
The newspaper says that the suspect has been caught.
There is a great possibility that Mr Wong will resign next month.
According to the newspaper it is likely that they
will call a strike for tomorrow.
It is said that the suspect may be hiding in Macau.
It is reported that the suspect has been caught.
Mr Wong is believed to be resigning next month.
The strike is expected to be called for tomorrow.
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20. 5 There is a rumour that the officer has taken bribes.
The police think that the thieves got in through the rear window.
People say that Mr Chan was involved in the case.
8 Miss Wong is getting married soon.
The officer is alleged to have taken bribes.
The thieves are thought to have got in through the
rear window.
Mr Chan is said to have been involved in the
case.
Miss Wong is known to be getting married
soon.
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21. We do not often see carriages these days.
C Change the following sentences into the passive voice. The first one has been done for you.
We do not often see carriages these days.
They will not hold the meeting tomorrow morning.
The secretary has not typed the letter yet.
She did not clean the carpet this morning.
Carriages are not often seen these days.
The meeting will not be held tomorrow morning.
The letter has not been typed by the secretary yet.
The carpet was not cleaned this morning.
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22. They are not discussing the matter now.
She does not keep her jewellery at home.
They will not allow any reporters into the conference room during the negotiation.
She did not say anything to explain her absence.
The matter is not being discussed now.
Her jewellery is not kept at home.
No reporters will be allowed into the conference
room during the negotiation. .
Nothing was said to explain her absence.
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23. This picture is beautiful. Was it painted by your brother?
D Read the first sentence. Then ask a question with the given words. The first one has been done for you.
1 paint / your brother
This picture is beautiful.
Was it painted by your brother?
2 make / gold
This watch is expensive.
Is it made of gold?
3 it / can / deal with
This letter doesn’t seem to be important.
Can it be dealt with later?
4 it / be going to / demolish
This old building looks dangerous.
When is it going to be demolished?
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24. I hear that there was an accident this morning. Was anybody injured?
6 she / find
They told me the missing girl has returned home.
Where was she found?
7 steal
I heard from Melinda that someone broke into your house last night.
What has been stolen?
What was stolen? .
8 choose
The debate will take place tomorrow.
Who will be chosen to represent our school?
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25. E. Use the correct form of the given verbs to complete this. dialogue
E Use the correct form of the given verbs to complete this dialogue. The first one has been done for you.
Is the letter ready, Miss Lee?
I’m afraid it (1) is still being typed (still /type) by the secretary.
is still
being typed
Mr Wong
Miss Lee
Why it (2) is taking (take) her so long? She is supposed (3) to have finished (finish) it hours ago.
is taking
to have
finished
She (4) was not told (not / tell) to type it until about 10 minutes ago.
was not told
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26. gave to be too occupied Mr Wong Miss Lee to say be trusted
But I (5) gave (give) the draft to Jason this morning.
gave
He must have forgotten. He is said (6) to be too occupied (too / occupy) with the new project.
to be too occupied
Mr Wong
Miss Lee
Can’t anybody help him?
He was heard (7) to say (say) that nobody could (8) be trusted (trust) with the job.
to say
be trusted
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27. been finished / is finished
Then he (9) deserves (deserve) it. Well, there’s nothing I can (10) do (do) about it but wait, I’m afraid. Please tell the secretary to give the letter to me as soon as it (11) has been finished / is finished (finish).
deserves do
Miss Lee
has
Mr Wong
been finished / is finished
Sure.
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