AULAS 7 e 8 - 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, however, 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) 

Active: Peter builds a house.

Passive: A house is built by Peter.

EXAMPLES

Active Peter builds a house.

Simple Present 

Passive: A house is built by Peter.

SIMPLE PRESENT

Active: Peter built a house.

Simple Past 

Passive: A house was built by Peter.

SIMPLE PAST

Active: Peter has built a house.

Perfect 

Passive: A house has been built by Peter.

PRESENT PERFECT

Active: Peter will build a house.

will-future 

Passive: A house will be built by Peter.

SIMPLE FUTURE

Active: Peter can build a house.

Modals 

Passive: A house can be built by Peter.

MODAL VERBS

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 studentsobject 2 = direct object: the exerciseAn 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.

active sentence - possibility 1

subject verb indirect object direct object

The professor explained the students the exercise.

active sentence - possibility 2

subject verb direct object indirect object

The professor explained the exercise to the students.

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 studentswere explained

the exercise. (by the professor).

passive sentence - possibility 2

subject verb object (by-agent)

The exercise was explained to the students (by the professor

D) Verbs with prepositions in passive

When we put an active sentence, where a preposition

follows after the verb (e.g. break into, look after), into

passive - the preposition remains immediately after the verb.

Active sentence Passive sentence

Someone broke into the pet shop. The pet shop was broken into.

E) Personal and Impersonal Passive

Personal Passive simply means that the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. So every verb that needs an object (transitive verb) can form a personal passive.

Active sentence Passive sentence

They build houses. Houses are built.

Verbs without an object (intransitive verb) normally cannot

form a personal passive sentence (as there is no object that

can become the subject of the passive sentence). If you want

to use an intransitive verb in passive voice, you need an

impersonal construction – therefore this passive is called

Impersonal Passive.

Example: he says – it is said

Impersonal Passive is not as common in English as in some other languages like German.In English, Impersonal Passive is only possible with verbs of perception (e. g. say, think, know).

Example: They say that women live longer than men. It is said that women live longer than men.

Although Impersonal Passive is possible here, Personal Passive is more common.

Example: They say that women live longer than men. Women are said to live longer than men.

Tense Subject Verb Object

Simple Present Active: Nancy makes tea.

Passive: Tea is made by Nancy.

Present Progressive

Active: Nancy is making tea.

Passive: Tea is being made by Nancy.

Simple Past Active: Nancy made tea.

Passive: Tea was made by Nancy.

Past Progressive

Active: Nancy was making tea.

Passive: Tea was being made by Nancy.

Present Perfect Active: Nancy has made Tea.

Passive: Tea has been made by Nancy.

Past Perfect Active: Nancy had made tea.

Passive: Tea had been made by Nancy.

Future simple Active: Nancy will make tea.

Passive: Tea will be made by Nancy.

Future perfect Active: Nancy will have made tea.

Passive: Tea will have been made by Nancy.

Conditional Active: Nancy would make tea.

Passive: Tea would be made by Nancy.

Modals Active: Nancy can make tea.

Passive: Tea can be made by Nancy.