PASSIVE VOICE

REASONS FOR USING THE PASSIVE

When we want to talk about an action and/or

the agent is not known, unimportant or obvious.
The results have not been published yet.
She has been sacked.
 REASONS FOR USING THE PASSIVE

When we want to put the “news” at the end.

The picture was painted by my grandmother.
 REASONS FOR USING THE PASSIVE

To keep talking about the same person or thing.

The PM arrived back in London last night and was
immediately besieged by reporters.
 REASONS FOR USING THE PASSIVE

To put longer expressions at the end

I was annoyed by Mary who insisted on telling
everybody what to do.
 PASSIVE VOICE: REVISION

TWO OBJECTS:
He gave the award to a new singer.

The award was given to a new singer

A new singer was given the award.
 PASSIVE VOICE: REVISION

VERBS WITH PREPOSITION:

I don’t like being shouted AT.
Your beer has already been paid FOR.
 PASSIVE VOICE: SPECIAL CASES
HAVE/GET SOMETHING DONE:
to describe something which is done for the subject
by somebody else
I had the car mended yesterday.= Someone
mended my car for me
I’m having my flat painted =
Somebody is painting my flat for me
 PASSIVE VOICE: SPECIAL CASES
HAVE/GET SOMETHING DONE:
also to describe something unpleasant or
unexpected done to the subject.

I got my passport stolen.

 PASSIVE VOICE: SPECIAL CASES

PASSIVE -ING FORMS AND INFINITIVES

Your hair needs to be cut =

Your hair needs cutting
 PASSIVE VOICE: SPECIAL CASES

PASSIVE -ING FORMS AND INFINITIVES

I don’t like people lying to me (ACTIVE)

I don’t like being lied to. (PASSIVE)
 PASSIVE VOICE: SPECIAL CASES

PASSIVE -ING FORMS AND INFINITIVES

Having finished the match, we went out to
celebrate. (ACTIVE)
The match having been finished, we went
out to celebrate. (PASSIVE)
 PASSIVE VOICE: SPECIAL CASES
SUBJECT + VERB (SAY, THINK, FEEL, EXPECT,
ETC.) + NOUN CLAUSE OBJECT

They say that he knows some very influential people.

It is said that he knows some very influential people.

He is said to know very influential people.

 PASSIVE VOICE: SPECIAL CASES
SUBJECT + VERB (SAY, THINK, FEEL, EXPECT,
ETC.) + NOUN CLAUSE OBJECT

They say that he knows some very influential people.

He is said to know very influential people.

They say that he knew some very influential people.

He is said to have known some very influential people
 PASSIVE VOICE: EXERCISES
REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES BEGINNING YOUR NEW VERSION WITH
THE WORDS UNDERLINED

Everyone knows that doing exercise is good for your health.

Doing exercise is known to be good for your health.

People think that neither side wanted war.

Neither side is thought to have wanted war.

Everyone thought that the house had been demolished.

The house was thought to have been demolished

 PASSIVE VOICE: EXERCISES
REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES BEGINNING YOUR NEW VERSION WITH
THE WORDS UNDERLINED

People say that he lost 2 million €.

He is said to have lost 2 million €.

They think that the painting was stolen at midnight.

The painting is thought to have been stolen at midnight.

It is believed that the Chinese invented gunpowder.

The Chinese are believed to have invented gunpowder.

 PASSIVE VOICE: EXERCISES
REWRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES BEGINNING YOUR NEW VERSION WITH
THE WORDS UNDERLINED

We will send you your results soon.

You will be sent your results soon.

Someone has tampered with the lock of the front door.

The lock of the front door has been tampered with.

You ought to have paid this bill weeks ago.

This bill ought to have been paid weeks ago.

 PASSIVE VOICE: EXERCISES
Are these sentences right or wrong?

He was upset to discover he dropped from the team.  

Have you ever had your house broken into?  
He got his application turned down.  
Metal is expanded when heated.  
I don’t like been cheated.  
 PASSIVE VOICE: EXERCISES
Are these sentences right or wrong?

Nothing interesting was happened.  

He really wanted to be accepted in the club.  
He is being interviewed by someone.  
You are not be allowed to smoke here.  
Real Oviedo beaten again by Sporting.  