The passive voice

Active and passive voices are used in English to express action. While in the active voice,
the subject is the doer, in the passive, the subject receives the effects of the action. The
passive voice is especially useful for stylistic reasons in official documents, journalistic
articles, and scientific writing.

To transform an active sentence into a passive one, follow these 3 steps:

 Move the direct object of the active sentence to subject position.

Both governments signed the agreement
The agreement was signed by both governments.
 Insert a form of be in the tense of the active sentence, and write the main verb of the
active in its past participle form.
Roy grows potatoes on the farm.
Potatoes are grown on the farm.
 Move the subject of the active sentence to the end of the passive sentence. In some
cases the agent is the headed by the preposition by.
The boy told a weird story
A weird story was told by the boy
*** BY is frequently omitted when it does not contain information which we
specifically wish to include.
Oscar Arias from CR was awarded the Nobel Prize for Peace in 1987.
(We omit the by prepositional phrase)

Usage of the passive voice:

1. To signal that the performer is unknown
English is spoken in many places
2. To hint that the doer is a general group.
The meeting was held at 10 o clock
3. To avoid mentioning the performer of the action.
Romeo and Juliet was written in 1596
4. To emphasis on the receiver rather than on the performer of the action.
The thief was beaten by the policeman
5. To describe a scientific experiment or process.
The plants were labeled for further research

The passive voice and some tenses

 Simple past

Active He cleaned the house

V. PAST

Passive The house was cleaned

BE PAST + PP
  Present continuous

Active Someone is cleaning the house

BE + V-ING

Passive The house is being cleaned

BE + BEING + PP

 Past continuous

Active They were cleaning the house

BE PAST + V-ING

Passive The house was being cleaned

BE PAST + BEING + PP

 Present perfect

Active Somebody has cleaned the house

HAS + PP

Passive The house has been cleaned

HAS + BEEN+PP

 Future with will

Active Rita will write a letter

WILL + V (SF)

Passive A letter will be written

WILL + BE + PP

 Future Perfect

Active Rita will have written a letter

WILL + HAVE + PP

Passive A letter will have been written

WILL + HAVE + BEEN + PP

 Modals

Active They can sing the song

MODAL + V (SF)

Passive The song can be sung by them

MODAL + BE + PP

Write the correct passive form in the spaces.

1. They called the customers yesterday afternoon.

The customers ________________ yesterday afternoon.

2. We will give you a discount if you buy 100.

A discount _______________if you buy 100.

3. The president of the company is listening to his proposal.

His proposal _______________ by the president of the company.

4. We have produced paper products since 1994.

Paper products ________________here since 1994.

5. Many hospitals use our samples.

Our samples __________________by many hospitals.

Make the direct object of the active sentences the subject of the passive one.

1. Mr. Smith has introduced me to his wife.

___________________________________________________

2. The teacher is pronouncing the new words for us.

____________________________________________________

3. He explained the situation to the students.

____________________________________________________

4. She exchanged the defective shirt for me.

____________________________________________________

5. Nelson always describes his trips vividly and fully.

____________________________________________________