Transcript passive voice

PASSIVE VOICE
• The Beatles tried new styles of music in the 60s
In The Active Voice, we give importance to the agent of
the action (Active Subject)
• New styles of music were tried by The Beatles in the 60s
In the Passive Voice, we give importance to the result of
the action (Passive Subject) or the action itself.
PASSIVE VOICE
VERB
ACTIVE VERB
Present Simple: try / tries
Present Continuous: is trying
Past Simple: tried
Past Continuous: was trying / were
trying
Present Perfect: have tried / has
tried
Will: will try
Be going to: is / are going to try
Modal verbs:
Can: can try
Must : must try
PASSIVE VERB: be + Past
Participle
is tried / are tried
is being tried / are being tried
was tried / were tried
was being tried / were being tried
have been tried / has been tried
will be tried
is / are going to be tried
Modal verbs:
can be tried
must be tried
PASSIVE VOICE
STRUCTURE
SUBJECT + ACTIVE VERB + OBJECTS + ADVERBIALS
PASSIVE SUBJECT + PASSIVE VERB + ADVERBIALS + (AGENT)
The Beatles launched their last album in 1969
The Beatles’ last album was launched in 1969 by them
PASSIVE VOICE
Leaving out the AGENT
• We don’t know it:
Someone stole our garden furniture last summer
Our garden furniture was stolen last summer
• It is not important or it is obvious.
The builders built our house in two years.
Our house was built in two years
• A translation of our “Pasiva Refleja” or “Impersonal”
Cars are rented
(Se alquilan coches)
PASSIVE VOICE
• Where can you omit the AGENT?
This picture was painted by Picasso in 1928
My house was painted by the painters two years ago
My car was fitted two weeks ago by a different
mechanic.
New flats are sold by them.
The stairs were damaged by someone last night.
Today’s lesson has been prepared by the students.