PASSIVE VOICE

1. Passive Use
We only use the passive when we are interested in the object or
when we do not know who caused the action.
Example: Appointments are required in such cases.
2. Passive Form
to be + past participle
How to form a passive sentence when an active sentence is given:
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)

We can only form a passive sentence from an active sentence when
there is an object in the active sentence.
3. Examples
a. Simple Present
(A)Peter builds a house (P) a house is built by Peter
b. Simple Past
(A)Peter built a house (P) a house was built by Peter
c. Present Perfect
(A)Peter has built a house (P) a house has been built by
Peter
d. Past Perfect
(A)Peter had built a house (P) a house had been built by
Peter
e. Will-future
(A)Peter will build a house (P) a house will be built by Peter
f. Going to-future
Peter is going to build a house in summer a house is going to
be built in summer by Peter
g. Modals
(A)Peter can built a house (P) a house can be built by Peter
4. By Agent in Passive
We are normally not interested in the doer of an action in a passive
sentence. When we want to mention the doer, we use the
preposition by. The whole phrase is called by-agent in English.
(A)Mr. Brown build the house (P) The house was built by
Mr. Brown
When we do not know, who was the doer of the action, we
use someone or somebody in the active sentence. We leave out
these words in the passive sentence.
(A)Someone stole my bike (P) My bike was stolen

5. Two objects in an active sentence

When there are two objects in
are two possible

active

an

sentences

active

sentence,

and two possible

there
passive

sentences.
Sentence 1: The professor gave the students the books.
Sentence 2: The professor gave the books to the students.
There are two objects in each of the following sentences:

Object 1 = indirect object the students

Object 2 = direct object the books

An 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 1
Subject
The Professor

Verb
gave

Indirect Object
the students

Direct Object
the books.

Active sentence 2
Subject
The Professor

Verb
gave

Indirect Object
the books

Direct Object
the students.

Each of the objects (books/students) in the active sentences can

become subject in the passive sentence.
Passive sentence 1
Subject
The students

Verb
were given

Object
the books

(by-agent)
(by the
professor).

Passive sentence 2
Subject
The books

Verb
were given

Object
To the students

(by-agent)
(by the
professor).

6. Verb prepositions in Passive

When we put an active sentence, where a preposition follows after
the verb (e.g. break into, look after, listen to), into passive
the preposition remains immediately after the verb.
Active sentence
Passive sentence
Someone broke into the pet The pet shop was broken into.

shop.
They looked for the baby.
Someone shouts at the man.
They listen to music.
7. Questions in Passive
Questions in Passive

are

The baby was looked for.

The man is shouted at.
Music is listened to.

formed

with to

be and

the past

particple *.
a. Questions without questions words in Passive (Simple Present)
Form of Subject

Past

Rest

be
Is

the test

Participle
written

Are

grapes

grown

Yes/No

in

room Yes,
No,
311?
No,
in
Yes,
No,
California?
No,

Subject

Auxiliary

it
it
it
they
they
they

(+nt)
is.
is not.
isnt.
are.
are not.
arent.

b. Questions with questions words in Passive (Simple Present)

Question

Form

Subject

Past

Rest

word

of be

Where

is

the

e
written?

Why

are

test
grapes

grown

Answer

Participl
The test is written in
in

room 311
Grapes are

Californi

California because its

a?

warm and sunny.

grown

in

c. Questions without questions words in Passive (Simple Past)

Form

Subject

Past

of be

Participl

Was

e
taken

the
book

Were

the

taught

Rest

Yes/No

y (+nt)
To

the Yes,
No,
classroo
No,
m?

it
it
it

at home?

they
they
they

student

Yes,
No,
No,

s
d. Questions with question words in Passive (Simple Past)
Questi

Form

on

of be

Subject

Past
Participl

Subject Auxiliar

Rest

Answer

was.
was
not.
wasnt.
were.
were
not.
werent.

word
Where
Why

was

the book

were

the

e
taken?

The book was taken to the

taught

at

classroom.
The students were taught

home?

at

students

home

because

the

school was closed.

e. Other tenses
Here are some more examples in other tenses. Let's start with
the simple forms:
Tense
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Will-future
Going to-future
Future Perfect
Conditional I
Conditional II

Auxiliary
Has
Had
Will
Is
Will
Would
Would

Subject
the house
the house
the house
the house

Verb
been built?
been built?
be built?
going to be

the house

built?
have

the house
the house

built?
be built?
have
been

been

built?
And here are two progessive forms:
Tense
Present
Progressive
Past Progressive

Auxiliary
Is

Subject
the house

Verb
been built?

Was

the house

been built?

* past participle:

regular verbs infinitive + -ed

irregular verbs 3rd column of the table of

the irregular verbs

8. Personal Passive
When we put an object of an active sentence into passive, it
becomes subject of the passive sentence.
Active sentence The professor gave the students the

books.
Passive sentence The students were given the books.

We sometimes use a pronoun for the students or the books in its

subject form (here: they).

Active sentence The professor gave them the books.

Passive sentence They were given the books.

We very often leave out the by-agent in the passive sentence

(here: by the professor).
9. Impersonal Passive
The phrase It is said ... is an impersonal passive construction. We
often use it in news.
Passive sentence 1 It is said that children are afraid of

ghosts.
Passive sentence 2 Children are said to be afraid of ghosts.

The correct active sentence would be:

10.

Active sentence People say that children are afraid of

ghosts.
Active and Passive Forms

Active (Simple Forms)

Passive (Simple Forms)
Simple
I drive
Simple Present I am driven
Active (Progressive / Continous
Passive (Progressive / Continous
Present
Simple Past Forms)
I drove
Simple Past
IForms)
was driven
Simple
Present
I Ihave
am driving
driven
Present
Simple
Perfect I Ihave
am being
been driven
driven
Present
Perfect
Simple
Past Perfect
Past
Present
Will-future
Future
Perfect
Past
Perfect
Perfect
Conditional I
Conditional
Will-future
II

Present
I Ihad
wasdriven
driving
Past
Simple
Perfect
Past
I Iwill have
drive
been
Will-future
Present
I
will
have Future Perfect
driving
Perfect
driven
I
had
been Past Perfect
I would drive
Conditional I
driving
I would have Conditional II
I will be driving
Will-future
driven

Future Perfect

I will have been Future

Conditional I

driving
I would be driving

Conditional II

would

been driving

Perfect
Conditional I

I Ihad
wasbeen
being
driven
driven
I Iwill
have
be driven
been being
I will have been
driven
driven
I had been being
I would be driven
driven
I would have been
I will be
being
driven
driven
I will have been
being driven
I would be
being

driven
have Conditional II I would have been
being driven