PASSIVE

VOICE

 USES
✔  No se conoce quién realiza la acción
•  Spanish "SE" :
Se venden pisos: Flats are sold
•  Se omite el sujeto:
Le dieron un beso a Pepita: Pepita was given a kiss

✔  Para enfa/zar al objeto sobre el cual se realiza la acción

America was discovered in 1492 by Christopher Columbus

✔  Cuando la descripción del agente que realiza la acción es muy larga

A charity record has been made by many famous names in the world of pop music.
 FORM
ü  SUJETO: Persona/ objeto que sufre/ disfruta los resultados de una acción

ü  EL VERBO “ TO BE” marca el 6empo verbal en que la acción ocurre

ü  EL “ PAST PARTICIPLE” DEL VERBO PRINCIPAL marca que

acción es.

ü  En algunos casos podemos usar “ BY + EL AGENTE” cuando sepamos

quién realiza la acción.
 FORM
TENSES EXAMPLES
Present Simple Pigs are o>en used to find truffles
Present Con/nuous My house is being redecorated at the moment
Present Perfect I have never been given flowers on my birthday
Past Simple This picture was painted by Picasso
Past Con/nuous When I saw him he was being followed by the police

Past Perfect She was angry because she had already been told
three 6mes
Future Simple When you get there everything will be finished
Going to - Future They are not going to be easily convinced
Condi/onal Simple You would be punished if they found out
Condi/onal Perfect If you hadn’t told them would I have been invited?
 THE PASSIVE VERB
to BE (in the ac/ve tense) + Past Par/ciple (main verb)

to BE gives us the tense of the ac/on

the principal verb is always in Past Par/ciple

ACTIVE PASSIVE

She wants an ice-cream An ice-cream is wanted

He sent a le.er A leOer was sent

We will buy a new car next week A new car will be bought

They have been cuYng the grass The grass has been being cut
 THE PASSIVE SENTENCE
ACTIVE VOICE
Robert gave a coin
Ac/ve Ac/ve Direct
Subject Verb Object

Passive Passive Agent

Subject Verb
by

PASSIVE VOICE
A coin was given by Robert
 THE PASSIVE SENTENCE
ACTIVE VOICE
Robert gave a coin to Tom
Ac/ve Ac/ve Direct Indirect
Subject Verb Object Object

Passive Passive Direct Agent

Subject Verb Object
by

PASSIVE VOICE
Tom was given a coin by Robert
 Examples
1/They built this house in 1466
2/ This house was built in 1466

1/ Channel islanders speak French & English
2/ French & English is spoken by Channel
islanders

1/ This book will change your life
2/ Your life will be changed by this book

 Examples
1/ They have cut the grass
2/ The grass has been cut

1/ My mother is going to give me a present
2/ I am going to be given a present by my mother

1/ Susan wrote an e-mail to him
2/ He was wri.en an e-mail by Susan


 Examples
1/ They can’t answer your quesGon
2/ Your quesGon can’t be answered

1/ Someone had to take her to hospital aJer the crash
2/ She had to be taken to hospital aJer the crash

1/ They shouldn’t allow the children to do these things
2/ The children shouldn’t be allowed to do these things


 More passive stuff
REPORTING VERBS

Believe
Think
Consider
Say
Report
Know
Expect
Feel
Understand
Find

 More passive stuff
REPORTING VERBS

IT + passive verb +
complete subordinate sentence without changes



It is said that he started the fire
( They said he started the fire)

It is thought that she doesn't live in London

( they think she doesn't live in London )

It was known that the King is coming tomorrow

(They knew the King is coming tomorrow )

 More passive stuff
REPORTING VERBS

Subordinate subject + passive verb +

subordinate active verb

in INFINITIVE.

ACTION IN : PRESENT / FUTURE : INFINITIVE PRESENT

Everybody thinks that she sings beautifully

She is thought to sing beautifully

The audience consider that the team will be classified for the final.
The team is considered to be classified for the final.

 More passive stuff
REPORTING VERBS

Subordinate subject + passive verb +

subordinate active verb

in INFINITIVE.

ACTION IN :
PAST ( past simple, present perfect , past perfect, would, could ) : INFINITIVE PERFECT

A journalist reports that they left Las Vegas yesterday

They are reported to have left Las Vegas yesterday

The children reported that their friends have swum in competitions all their lives
Children´s friends were reported to have swum in competitions all their lives

 More passive stuff
REPORTING VERBS

Subordinate subject + passive verb +

subordinate active verb

in INFINITIVE.

ACTION IN :
PAST ( past simple, present perfect , past perfect, would, could ) : INFINITIVE PERFECT
People believed that they had killed the animals during the night.
They were believed to have killed the animals during the night.

The reporters believed that the meeting would finish soon.

The meeting was believed to have finished soon