SIMPLE PRESENT and SIMPLE PAST

The active object becomes the passive subject, don't forget the verb to be + the past
participle.
Active: Passive:
Simple Present
The movie fascinates Simple Present
me. I am fascinated by the movie.
The movie bores Jack. Jack is bored by the movie.
The movie surprises They are surprised by the movie.
them.
Simple Past
The movie bored me. Simple Past
The movie fascinated I was bored by the movie.
Jack. Jack was fascinated by the movie.
The movie surprised They were surprised by the movie.
them.
PRESENT and PAST CONTINUOUS (PROGRESSIVE)
Active: Passive:
Present Continuous Present Continuous
I am helping Shannon. Shannon is being helped by me.
June is helping Su and Ling. Su and Ling are being helped by June.
Past Continuous
I was cleaning the
Past Continuous
bathroom.
The bathroom was being cleaned by me.
They were cleaning the
The bedroom was being cleaned by them.
bedroom.
The kitchen and patio were being cleaned by her
Susan was cleaning the
kitchen and patio.
PRESENT PERFECT, PAST PERFECT and FUTURE PERFECT
Active: Passive:
Present Perfect Present Perfect
I have mailed the gift. The gift has been mailed by me.
Jack has mailed the gifts. The gifts have been mailed by Jack.
Past Perfect
Steven Spielberg had directed Past Perfect
the movie. The movie had been directed by him.
Penny Marshall had directed The movies had been directed by her.
those movies.
 Future Perfect
Jon will have finished it next Future Perfect
month. It will have been finished by Jon by next month.
They will have finished it by It will have been finished by them by next week.
next week.
FUTURE TENSES
Active: Passive:
Future with WILL Future with WILL
I will mail the gift. The gift will be mailed by me.
Jack will mail the gifts. The gifts will be mailed by Jack.
Future with GOING TO
I am going to make the cake.
Sue is going to make two cakes.</D
John WRITES a
Pres. simple. A book IS WRITTEN by John
letter
John IS WRITING a
Pres. Cont: A letter IS BEING WRITTEN by John
letter
John WROTE a
Past Simple: A letter WAS WRITTEN by John
letter
John WAS
Past Cont. A letter WAS BEING WRITTEN by John
WRITING a letter
John WILL WRITE
Future A letter WILL BE WRITTEN by John
a letter
John WOULD write
Conditional A letter WOULD BE WRITTEN by John
a letter
John HAS
Pres. Perf A letter HAS BEEN WRITTEN by John
WRITTEN a letter
John HAD
Past Perf A letter HAD BEEN WRITTEN by John.
WRITTEN a letter

1. The form 'IS' changes to 'AM' or 'ARE' depending on the subject : - Two
letters ARE written by John ... - I AM told ...2. The form WAS changes into
WERE depending on the subject : - Two letters WERE written by John 3. The
form 'HAS' changes into HAVE depending on the subject: - Two letters HAVE
been written by John 4. You can make a passive voice from the Person Object (YOU
CAN'T DO THIS IN Catalan !)

- Paul gave Mary a diamond ring: A diamond ring was given to Mary. Mary was
given a diamond ring
Exercises with answers:

Turn these sentences into the passive Voice :

Simple present

1. Lawyers study law.

2. Doctors cure diseases

3. Scientists investigate nature

4. Important actors conduct talk shows.

5. A king rules this country

Answers
1. Lawyers study law. - LAW IS STUDIED BY LAWYERS.
2. Doctors cure diseases. - DISEASES ARE CURED BY DOCTORS.
3. Scientists investigate nature. - NATURE IS INVESTIGATED BY SCIENTISTS.
4. Important actors conduct talk shows. - TALK SHOWS ARE CONDUCTED BY
IMPORTANT ACTORS.
5. A king rules this country -THIS COUNTRY IS RULED BY A KING.

Simple past

1. Spielberg directed ‘Jurassic Park’

2. M.Crichton wrote ‘Jurassic Park’

3. Michellangelo painted the Sixtine Chapel

4. Picasso painted many pictures

5. Beethoven composed many symphonies

Answers

1. Spielberg directed ‘Jurassic Park’ ‘JURASSIC PARK’ WAS DIRECTED BY

SPIELBERG.
2. M.Crichton wrote ‘Jurassic Park’ - J.P. WAS WRITTEN BY M. CRICHTON.
3. Michellangelo painted the Sixtine Chapel - THE SIXTINE C. WAS PAINTED BY
MICHEL..
4. Picasso painted many pictures - MANY PICTURES WERE PAINTED BY
PICASSO.

Future

1. The guitar player will compose the songs 2. The band will record the songs in a
recording studio 3. The singer will sing the songs 4. Two male and two female singers
will add backing vocals 5. K.J. Jones will produce the record

Answers

1. The guitar player will compose the songs. - THE SONGS WILL BE COMPOSED
BY THE GUITAR PLAYER.
2. The band will record the songs in a recording studio. - THE SONGS WILL BE
RECORDED BY THE BAND IN A RECORDING STUDIO.
3. The singer will sing the songs - THE SONGS WILL BE SUNG BY THE SINGER.
4. Two male and two female singers will add backing vocals - BACKING VOCALS
WILL BE ADDED BY TWO MALE AND FEMALE SINGERS.
5. K.J. Jones will produce the record - THE RECORD WILL BE PRODUCED BY K.J.
JONES.

All tenses

1. They are building a new house 2. King George built that castle 3. People drink tea in
England 4. Too much drinking causes accidents 5. A millionaire has bought this
island 6. Two actors will give the diplomas 7. People eat hamburgers in America
8. They make sport shoes in Tai wan 9. We can see the lake from our window 10. The
police must find the criminal.