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THE PASSIVE VOICE
PASSIVE VOICE
A) Use of Passive
Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is
not important or not known who or what is performing the
action.
Example: My bike was stolen.
In the example above, the focus is on the fact that my bike
was stolen. I do not know, however, who did it.
Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite
than active voice, as the following example shows:
Example: A mistake was made.
In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was
made, but I do not blame anyone (e.g. You have
made a mistake.).
B) Form of Passive
Subject + to be + Past Participle (3rd column of irregular verbs)
Example: A letter was written.
When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the
following:
•object of the "active" sentence becomes subject in the
"passive" sentence.
•subject of the "active" sentence becomes "object" in the
"passive" sentence" (or is left out)
EXAMPLES
Active:
Peter
builds
a house.
Passive:
A house
is built
by Peter.
Active
Peter
builds
a house.
SIMPLE
Simple Present
PRESENT
Passive: A house
is built
by Peter.
Active:
Peter
built
a house.
SIMPLE
Simple
Past
PAST
Passive: A house
was built
by Peter.
Active:
Peter
will build
a house.
SIMPLE
FUTURE
will-future
Passive: A house
will be built
by Peter.
Active:
Peter
can build
a house.
MODAL
Modals
VERBS
Passive: A house
can be built by Peter.
C) Active sentences with two objects in passive
When there are two objects in an active sentence, there are
two possible active sentences and two possible passive
sentences.
possibility 1:
The professor explained the students the exercise.
possibility 2:
The professor explained the exercise to the students.
There are two objects in each of the following sentences:
object 1 = indirect object: the students
object 2 = direct object: the exercise
An indirect object is very often a person, a direct object a thing.
When a direct object is followed by an indirect one, we put to
in front of the indirect object.
Each of the objects (direct and indirect) can be the subject
in the passive sentence.
passive sentence - possibility 1
subject
verb
object
(by-agent)
The students
were
explained
the exercise.
(by the professor).
passive sentence - possibility 2
subject
verb
object
The exercise
was explained to the students
(by-agent)
(by the professor