The passive voice

She cuts the cake on her birthday. (active)

The cake is cut on her birthday. (passive)

 Passive voice is used when the focus is

on the action. It is not important or not
known, who or what is performing the
action.

The police are arresting a man.

A man is being arrested by the police.

 Mr Brown built the house.

The house was built by Mr Brown.

 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.

Formation :
Subject + form of to be + Past Participle

Active: Susan wrote a letter.

Passive: A letter was written by Susan.

The passive voice with the tenses

1. The simple present tense
Active : S + V1 / Vs(es)
Passive : S + am / is / are + P.P
Ex : People speak English all over the world.
English is spoken all over the world.

2. The Simple past tense :

A : S + V2 / V-ed
P : S + was / were + P.P
Ex : They built the museum in 1990.

The museum was built in 1990.

3. The Present continuous tense.

Active : S + am / is / are + V-ing
Passive : S + am / is / are + being + P.P
Ex : Ann is washing the clothes.
The clothes are being washed by Ann.

4. The Past continuous tense

A : S+ was / were + V-ing
P : S + was / were + being + P.P
Ex : She was cleaning the floor at 7:15 yesterday.
The floor was being cleaned at 7:15 yesterday

5. The Present perfect tense.

A : S + has / have + P.P
P : S + has / have + been + P.P
Ex: We have watched this film several times.
This film has been watched several times.

6. The past perfect tense

A : S + had + P.P
P : S + had + been + P.P
Ex: They had made an announcement before I came.
An announcement had been made before I came.

7. The simple future tense

A : S + will / shall + V1
P : S + will / shall + be + P.P
Ex : She will give us another chance.
We will be given another chance.
Another chance will be given us.

THE PASSIVE WITH MODAL

VERBS

 They can make pancakes on a stove.

Pancakes can be made on a stove.
(possibility)

We may ride bikes on this bike path.

Bikes may be ridden on this bike path.
(permission)

 They must warn people that there are

crocodiles in the area.
People must be warned that there are
crocodiles in the area.

She has to do her work by tomorrow or

shell get in trouble with her boss.
Her work has to be done by tomorrow or
she'll get in trouble with her boss.

 People should protect penguins from

global warming.
Penguins should be protected from global
warming.

 to be made of: c lm bng ( cp n cht liu lm

nn vt)
This table is made of wood
to be made from: c lm ra t ( cp n vic
nguyn vt liu b bin i khi trng thi ban u lm
nn vt)
Paper is made from wood
to be made out of: c lm bng ( cp n qu trnh
lm ra vt)
This cake was made out of flour, butter, sugar, eggs and
milk.
to be made with: c lm vi ( cp n ch mt trong
s nhiu cht liu lm nn vt)
This soup tastes good because it was made with a lot of
spices.