DLS Language Series

FundamentalsOf English Grammar Part 2

The Passive Voice

By DjRay

DLanguage STUDIO

Langkawi

Video Lessons available at

www.dlanguagestudio.com

Fundamentals of English (Part2, pg1)

Passive Voice

1.1 Basic Structure of a passive sentence :

• When we speak or write, each sentence should be based on the following structure

Eg : It is found in Langkawi

• SUBJECT must always match with the VERB (ie Singular Subject with Singular Verb or Plural Subject with Plural Verb)

• VERB must always match with Time, which determines PRESENT, PAST or

FUTURE Actions

1.2 What is SUBJECT ?

• Subject is either a Noun or Pronoun

• Subject Noun - Singular Alex, My brother, Mr John

• Subject Pronoun - Singular He, She, It

• Subject Pronoun - Plural They, You, We, I

Subject Perfect Verb ObjectMatching

verb

Fundamentals of English (Part2, pg2)

Passive Voice

1.3 What is Object ?

• Object consists of nouns, object pronouns (eg him), verb infinitives (eg to see), adjectives (eg small), adverbs (eg quickly), time (eg yesterday) etc.. It is not always important to determine Singular or Plural noun in Object area, except for sentences using There is, There are etc..

1.4 What is Perfect VERB ?• There are 3 types of Verbs in English, ie Simple Verbs, Continuous Verb and Perfect Verb

• Study the 3 verbs below

• Note : Be sure to differentiate between Simple Past Verbs and Perfect Verbs. (Some of them have the same spelling, but only perfect verbs are used in Passive Voice

Plural Singular Past

take takes took

eat eats ate

write writes wrote

break breaks broke

buy buys bought

open opens opened

taking

eating

writing

breaking

buying

opening

taken

eaten

written

broken

bought

opened

Continuous Verb Simple Verb Perfect Verb

Construct a Sentence Present Actions – Passive Voice

Subject

am

is

are

being Perfect Verb Object It is being written

Subject

am

is

are

Perfect Verb Object It is written

Plural Singular Past

write writes wrote

break breaks broke

buy buys bought

open opens opened

writing

breaking

buying

opening

written

broken

bought

opened

Continuous Verb Simple Verb Perfect Verb

Construct a Question Present Actions – Passive Voice

Subject

am

is

are

being Perfect Verb Object Is it being written?

Subject

am

is

are

Perfect Verb Object Is it written?W

W

W = What, Where, Why, Who, When, How, How many, which, whose etc..

Construct a Sentence Past Actions – Passive Voice

Subject being Perfect Verb Object It was being written

Subjectwas

werePerfect Verb Object It was written

was

were

Subjecthas

havebeen Perfect Verb Object It has been written

Construct a Question Past Actions – Passive Voice

Subject being Perfect Verb Object Was it being written?

Subjectwas

werePerfect Verb Object Was it written?

was

were

Subjecthas

havebeen Perfect Verb Object Has it been written?

W

W

W

W = What, Where, Why, Who, When, How, How many, which, whose etc..

Construct a Sentence Future Actions – Passive Voice

going

to be

*Future

verb

Perfect Verb ObjectIt is going to be

written

am

is

are

Subject be

Subject

Perfect Verb Object It will be written

*Future Verb = will, can, must, may, might, should, could, etc…

Construct a Sentence Future Actions – Passive Voice

going

to be

*Future

verb

Perfect Verb ObjectIs it going to be written?

am

is

are

Subject be

Subject

Perfect Verb Object Will it be written?

*Future Verb = will, can, must, may, might, should, could, etc…

W

W

W = What, Where, Why, Who, When, How, How many, which, whose etc..

EndEnglish Fundamentals Part 2

The Passive Voice

Also available :

DLS English Fundamentals Part 1

DLS English Fundamentals Part 3

DLS English Exercises

DLS Malay Fundamentals

DLS Malay Exercises

Video Lessons are available at

www.dlanguagestudio.com