Passive Voice

Passive versus Active

In an active sentence, the emphasis is on the

performer of the action (the agent)
Jake Brown

has stolen

an expensive
painting.

subject
(the agent)

verb
(active form)

object
(the recipient)

Passive versus Active

In a passive sentence the emphasis is on the

action itself, not on the agent
The agent may be unknown or unimportant
Only transitive verbs can form passive
An expensive
painting

has been
stolen

(by Jake
Brown).

the recipient

verb
(passive
form)

(by +the
agent)

The form of the Passive Voice

TO BE

(in the appropriate tense)

Simple Present:
Present Continuous:
Simple Past:
Past Continuous:
Present Perfect:
Future Simple:
Perfect Infinitive:
Modal+Present Infinitive:
Modal+Perfect Infinitive:

PAST PARTICIPLE
(of the main verb)

Furniture is sold (by him).

Furniture is being sold.
Furniture was sold.
Furniture was being sold.
Furniture has been sold.
Furniture will be sold.
Furniture seems to have been sold.
Furniture can be sold.
Furniture must have been sold.

Transferring Sentences from Active

to Passive
The object of the active sentence becomes
the subject of the passive.
Simple present
Present continuous
Simple past
Past continuous
Present perfect
Future
Present infinitive
Perfect infinitive

Modal Verbs

Active voice

Passive voice

He keeps dogs.
He is keeping dogs.
He kept dogs.
He was keeping
dogs.
He has kept dogs.
He will keep dogs.
He likes to keep
dogs.
He seems to have
kept dogs.
should keep

Dogs are kept (by him)

Dogs are being kept.
Dogs were kept.
Dogs were being kept.
Dogs have been kept.
Dogs will be kept.
Dogs like to be kept.
Dogs seem to have
been kept.
should be kept.

Passive Voice of Ditransitive Verbs

Ditransitive verbs can have two objects

(an indirect and a direct object) and can
have two passives:

e.g. Someone gave her a bulldog.

A bulldog was given to her.
She was given a bulldog.

The Use of Passive to Express

General Belief
1. Impersonal subject IT + passive
reporting verb
e.g. It is assumed that the government will stay in
power.
It was said that he could speak three languages.

2. The recipient + passive reporting verb +

to- infinitive clause

e.g. He is believed to have fled to France.

Transform these sentences:

Everyone believes that he drives a car.
It _________________________________.
He ________________________________.
1.

2. Everyone thought that he stole the

painting.
It _________________________________.
He ________________________________.

42 Change the following questions from active

to passive:
Do they speak English here?
2.
Do your mistakes sometimes frustrate you?
3.
When did someone invent the wheel?
4.
Has anyone cancelled the press conference?
5.
Will they inform us?
6.
Does the hotel provide clean towels?
7.
When did they fire him?
8.
Have you paid the rent yet?
9.
Did they tell you what had happened?
10.
Must the general manager sign this letter?
11.
Why didn't anyone tell me about it?
12. Did anyone disturb you?
1.