The pass ive

voi ce

The Passive is not a

tense.

The problem is that you need

to know all the tenses…
© 2009 by Elsa Maximiano
 Present Simple Passive
You can have passive verbs in all the different tenses.
Here is an active verb in the present simple:

Everybody loves English.

Now let’s change it into the passive voice:
English is loved by everybody.

To make
‘is loved’ the passive
Tosimple
is present make
usepassive
the
thepassive,
If you need
(because to in
‘is’ is mention
the present
verb ‘to BE’ in the
simple). usesame
past tense
participlewho
of is doing the action,
as the original sentence
the main
– hereverb.
it use ‘by’ to introduce it.
is the present simple tense

© EM 2009
English teachers are loved by everybody.

The verb ‘to be’ is plural

in this sentence to agree
with ‘teachers’.

You don’t have to agree with that statement! You’re probably thinking:

‘Some people don’t love English teachers!’

So let’s make that passive!

English teachers are not loved by everybody.

Make the verb ‘to BE’

‘by …’ may not be
negative in the usual way.
necessary. If it’s not
important, leave it out.
 Present Continuous Passive
Let’s look at how the passive works in other tenses.
Here is a sentence in the present continuous:

They are filming the drivers in A4999.

Now let’s change it into the passive voice:

The drivers are being filmed in A4999 (by them)

We don’t often use ‘to BE’ in the To make the

present continuous tense so this
may look unfamiliar!
‘bypassive,
them’ doesn’t tell us much.
use the past participle
There is no need to know
of the main who’s
verb. filming the drivers.
So you can leave it out.

© EM 2009
 Past Simple Passive
The police caught a UK driver doing make-up.

Now let’s change it into the passive voice:

A UK driver was caught doing make-up by the police.

‘to BE’ in the past simple Totense

make the passive, It is important to know who
is ‘was’ (singular) or ‘were’use the past caught the driver, so you
(plural) participle of the main should leave it there.
verb.

© EM 2009
 Present Perfect Passive
They haven’t stopped the accidents yet.

Now let’s change it into the passive voice:

The accidents haven’t been stopped by them yet.

‘to BE’ in the present perfect tense is ‘has WeTodon’t

make know
the who
passive,
they are,
been’ (singular) or ‘have been’ (plural). use
sothe
we past
can leave
participle
it out.
In the negative, it’s ‘hasn’t’ or ‘haven’t’ been. of the main verb.

© EM 2009
 Past Perfect Passive
They had just set up the camera because of
the accidents.
Now let’s change it into the passive voice:

The camera had just been set up because of the accidents

To make the passive,

‘to BE’ in the past perfect tense use the past
is ‘had been’ (singular/plural). participle of the main
The adverbs used with the verb.
present and past perfect, like just,
must come between ‘had’ and the
© EM 2009
verb ‘to BE’
 Future Passive

The police will pay more attention to the drivers

Now let’s change it into the passive voice:

More attention to the drivers will be paid by the police.

Toinmake the passive, use

the modal verb will + ‘to BE’
the infinitive the past participle of the
main verb.

© EM 2009
VERBS THAT ARE NOT PASSIVE
DO NOT USE THESE VERBS IN PASSIVE:
arrive happen go appear

occur become come rain

cry sleep walk

stay die

YES: HE DIED.
NO: HE WAS DIED.
IT HAPPENED.
IT WAS HAPPENED.
I STAYED.
I WAS STAYED.

© EM 2009