PASSIVE VOICE

or
BE + past participle
 The Basics – when to use it
• We don't know who does/did/will do
something, e.g.:

❑ The house was burgled last night.

❑ The truth will be discovered sooner or later.

❑ Gossip is spread almost at the speed of light.

 The Basics – when to use it
• When it is not important who does/did/will
do something, e.g.:

❑ His latest book was published last month.

❑ A new shopping centre will be opened in Tarnów.

❑ Millions of cars are manufactured all over the world.

 The Basics – when to use it
• When it's obvious who did/does/will do something,
e.g.:
❑ New safety measures have just been introduced.

❑ A dangerous criminal was arrested yesterday after he had

been looked for for three months.

❑ Students will soon be tested on Reported Speech and Passive

Voice
 The Basics – when to use it
• To produce a formal style, e.g.:

❑ Students are forbidden to cheat during tests.

❑ All participants were expected to take an entrance

test.

❑ Additional information will be provided whenever

such a need arises.

 The Basics – by vs with
• The murderer used a knife to kill her.
➢She was killed with a knife
➢with – IMPLIES A DEVICE, INSTRUMENT, TOOL USED
FOR AN ACTION TO BE ACCOMPLISHED

• A professional should service your car.

➢Your car should be serviced by a professional.
➢by – IMPLIES THE PERFORMER OF AN ACTION
 The Basics
– transitive vs. intransitive verbs
• Mike raised a book from the floor.
• She ran a small shop round the corner.
• They have been dancing to a well-known band
• A well-known band has been danced to

Transitive verbs
– take an object → form passive structures
 The Basics
– transitive vs. intransitive verbs
• The sun rises in the east.

• She ran to school as she didn't want to be late.

• They have been dancing really long.

Intransitive verbs

– do not take an object → do not form passive structures

 Passive Voice
– Direct and Indirect Object
• The boss gave flowers to his secretary
→The boss's secretary was given flowers by the boss.
→ Flowers were given (to) the secretary by the boss.

• We always refuse them additional information.

➢ They are always refused additional information.
➢ Additional information is always refused (to) them.
 Watch out
→ verbs suggest, explain

• They explained how to operate the machine to me

➢ I was explained how to operate the machine
➢ How to operate the machine was explained to me.
➢ I had the operation of the machine explained (to me)

• George suggested that we take the train.

➢ We were suggested to take/that we should take the
train.
➢ Taking the train was suggested to us.
 Watch out → announce, appoint,
choose, elect, select
• They chose her beauty queen.
➢ She was chosen beauty queen.
➢ Beauty queen was chosen.
➢ Beauty queen was chosen her/she.

• They will announce me winner.

➢ Winner will be announced.
➢ I'll be announced winner.
➢ Winner will be announced me/I.
 Passive Voice
– Verbs with Prepositions
and/or Particles
•Phrasal Verbs form their Passive in an ordinary
way, e.g.:
❑ Everyone should look up to Mary ➔ Mary
should be looked up to.
❑ The detective gave up the investigation ➔ The
investigation was given up (by the detective)
 Passive Voice
– Verbs with Prepositions
and/or Particles
• Verbs with Prepositions, e.g.:

❑ Nobody should listen to Mike ➔ Mike should

not be listened to.

❑I don’t think anyone will drink out of that glass

➔I don’t think that glass will be drunk out of.

❑Everyone objected to the plan ➔ The plan

 Passive Voice
– Verbs with Prepositions
and/or Particles
• They speak English in New Zealand ➔ English
is spoken in New Zealand.
• Don’t do anything until they speak to you ➔
Don’t do anything until you are spoken to.
• They will speak about current prices ➔
Current prices will be spoken about.
 Passive Voice
– Impersonal Structures
• People say (that) George works hard
→It is said (that) George works hard
→ George is said to work hard

• People say (that) George is working hard these

days
→ It is said (that) George is working hard these
days
→ George is said to be working hard these days.
 Passive Voice
– Impersonal Structures
• People say (that) George has worked a lot recently.
→It is said (that) George has worked a lot recently.
→George is said to have worked a lot recently.

• People say (that) George has been working since 2001.

→It is said (that) George has been working since 2001.
→George is said to have been working since 2001.
 Passive Voice
– Impersonal Structures
• People say (that) George worked a lot in 2001.
→It is said (that) George worked a lot in 2001.
→George is said to have worked a lot in 2001.

• People say (that) George was working at that time.

→It is said (that) George was working at that time.
→George is said to have been working at that time.
 Passive Voice
– Impersonal Structures
• Negative structures:
➢It is alleged that you don’t tell the truth as a
rule.
➢You are alleged not to tell the truth as a rule.

➢It is known she has never visited Egypt.

➢She is known never to have visited Egypt
 Passive Voice
– Impersonal Structures
• Various tense structures:
• People said (that) George worked a lot.
→It was said (that) George worked a lot.
→George was said to work a lot.
→George was said to have worked = It was said
that George had worked
 Passive Voice
– Impersonal Structures
• Common verbs that can be used:
agree, allege, assume, believe, claim,
consider, estimate, expect, feel, find,
guarantee, know, mean, presume, report,
rumour, say, suppose, think, understand
 Passive Voice
– Questions
• Most questions follow a typical pattern, e.g.:
❑Where did they take Louise?
➔Where was Louise taken?
❑ What will she announce?
➔What will be announced?
❑Why do they admire that woman?
➔ Why is that woman admired?
 Passive Voice
– Subject Questions
• Who discovered America?
• Columbus discovered America => America eas
discovered by Columbus
➔Who was America discovered by?
• Who is going to do the research?
➔Who is the research going to be done by?
• What has destroyed your buildings?
• What have your buildings been destroyed by?
 Passive Voice – tenses
(BE + past participle)
• My secretary prepares my presentations
➔ My presentations are prepared by my
secretary
• They follow me everywhere
➔ I am followed everywhere.
• Someone informs her on a regular basis
➔ She is informed on a regular basis.
 Passive Voice – tenses
(BE + past participle)
• My secretary is preparing my presentations.
• My presentations are being prepared by my
secretary.
• They are following me now
➔ I am being followed now.
• Someone is informing her at the moment
➔ She is being informed at the moment.
 Passive Voice – tenses
(BE + past participle)
• My assistant prepared the speech
➔ The speech was prepared by my assistant.
• Someone sent those files yesterday
➔ Those files were sent yesterday.
• PAST CONTINUOUS
• My assistant was preparin g the speech at 6.
➔ The speech was being prepared at 6.
• They were sending the files
➔ The files were being sent
 Passive Voice – tenses
(BE + past participle)
• They have built the bridge since last year
➔ The bridge has been built since last year.
Versus
• They have been building the bridge since last year
➔ The bridge has been built since last year
OR:
• The bridge has been under construction since
last year
 Passive Voice – tenses
(BE + past participle)
• They will perform the play soon
➔ The play will be performed soon
versus
• They will be performing the play soon
➔ The play will be performed soon
OR:
➔ The play will soon be in progress
 Phrases to use instead of
Passive Voice (to avoid ambiguity)
• In action
• In progress
• In use
• On display
• On the increase
• Under construction
• Under development
• Under repair
 Passive Voice with Modal Verbs
(Modal Verb + be + past participle)
• Someone must do it
➔ It must be done
• They should forget the accident
➔ The accident should be forgotten.
• Shakespeare can't have written the sonnet
➔ The sonnet can't have been written by
Shakespeare.
• John may have committed that crime
➔ That crime may have been committed by John.
 Passive Voice with verbs followed
by infinitives (to be + past participle)
• She wants everybody to admire her
➔ She wants to be admired.
• They expected that someone would tell them the
truth
• They expected that they would be told the truth
➔ They expected to be told the truth.
• Someone needs to tidy the room up
➔ The room needs to be tidied up (=the room
needs tidying up)
 Passive Voice with verbs followed
by gerunds (being + past participle)
• "You must give me the file," Ann said to me.
➔ Ann insisted on being given the file (=insisted
that she should be given the file).
• I don't like it when people call me boss
➔ i don't like being called boss.
• Do you mind if we don't appoint you general?
➔ Do you mind not being appointed general?
 Passive Voice – CAUSATIVE FORMS
I – Causative have/get something done
I'm going to cut my hair
➔ I am going to have my hair cut
He tested his eyes
➔ He had his eyes tested
Susan is servicing her car now
Susan is having her car serviced
• The use: when someone does/did/will do
something on our behalf
Passive Voice – CAUSATIVE FORMS
II – Causative have/get something done
• Someone burgled my house.
• My house was burgled.
➔ I had my house burgled.
• They will tamper with my project.
• My project will be tampered with.
➔I will have my project tampered with.
• Someone has wounded the boy's arm with a knife.
➔The boy has had his arm wounded with a knife.
• The use: when something
unexpected/unpleasant/unwanted happens to us
Passive Voice – CAUSATIVE FORMS
III – Causative get sb/sth +ing
• We asked our brother to get the computer
working
➔ We asked our brother to make the computer
start working
• Did she get the car moving at last?
➔Did she make the car start moving?
• The use: make sb/sth start doing sth
Passive Voice – CAUSATIVE FORMS
IV – Causative have sb do/get sb to do
• Her parents asked her to sing again
➔Her parents had her sing again. OR:
➔Her parents got her to sing again.
• We're going to tell Bob to sign the contract
➔We're going to have Bob sign the contract OR:
➔We're going to get Bob to sign the contract

The use: have sb do = ask/tell sb to do

get sb to do = ask/tell/persuade sb to do
 Passive Voice – Special Cases (I)
• make sb do BUT ➔ be made TO do, e.g.:
Someone made her cry ➔ She was made to cry.
• get sb to do BUT ➔ be PERSUADED to do, e.g.:
Nobody will get me to give up ➔ I will not be persuaded
to give up.
• have sb do BUT ➔ be ASKED TO do, e.g.:
They always have me repeat the performance ➔ I am
always asked to repeat the performance.
• let sb do BUT ➔ be ALLOWED TO do, e.g.:
My parents never let me stay out after 11p.m. ➔ I am
never allowed to stay out after 11p.m.
 Passive Voice – Special Cases (II)
• see sb do vs see sb doing, e.g.:
➔ He saw Maggie enter my room ≠ He saw Maggie entering my room.
In Passive Voice:
• He saw Maggie enter my room
➔ Maggie was seen TO enter my room.
• He saw Maggie entering my room
➔ Maggie was seen entering my room.

Similarly:
• hear sb do vs hear sb doing
• notice sb do vs notice sb doing
• observe sb do vs oberve sb doing
• watch sb do vs watch sb doing
 Pa s s i v e Vo i c e
– Participle structures
• While she was waiting for me, she lit a cigarette
➔ While waiting for me, she lit a cigarette
• The sample disappeared while it was being
transported to the lab.
➔The sample disappeared while being transported
to the lab.
• I never know what to say when I am asked about
my future
➔ When asked about my future, I never know
what to say .
 Pa s s i v e Vo i c e
– Participle structures
• After they had eaten lunch, they went out
➔ Having eaten lunch, they went out.
• After the teacher had been dismissed, she
decided to sue the school to court.
➔ Having been dismissed, the teacher decided
to sue the school to court.
 Pa s s i v e Vo i c e
– Participle structures
❑ ACTIVE PARTICIPLE STRUCTURES
• As the flat was very expensive, we did not buy it
➔ The flat being very expensive, we did not buy it
• They quit the rescue attempt because the snow had covered the
tracks
➔ They quit the rescue attempt, the snow having covered the tracks

❑ PASSIVE PARTICIPLE STRUCTURES

• As the letter was being typed, George did not answer the phone.
➔ The letter being typed, George did not answer the phone.
• After the lunch had been eaten, they went out
➔ The lunch having been eaten, they went out.
Reported Speech
 Reporting Commands and Requests

Reporting verb+ subject + to/ not to + infinitive

e.g. Take us to the airport.

She told the driver to take us to the airport.
e.g. Please don’t wait for me, I’ll come along
later." He asked us not to wait.
THE SEQUENCE OF TENSES
&
THE REPORTED SPEECH
 THE SEQUENCE OF TENSES
• We use the sequence of tenses when we have a sentence
containing a main clause and one or more subordinate
clauses.
e.g. We knew that the bridge was unsafe.
He gave it to me because he trusted me.
He said that he had never been in Rome.

• When the main verb of a sentence is in a past tense, verbs

in subordinate clauses are in a past tense also.

• The infinitives, gerunds, must, might, could, should, would

are not affected by the above rule.
• e.g. He wants to go there. He wanted to go there.
• He likes riding. He liked riding.
Main clause Subordinate clause
Present Simple Future Simple
He thinks it will rain.
Past Simple would + inf.
He thought it would rain.
Present Simple Present Perfect
He sees that he has made a mistake
Past Simple Past Perfect
He saw that he had made a mistake.
Present Perfect Present Simple
He has done all that is necessary.
Past Perfect Past Simple
He had done all that was necessary.
Present Simple Present Continuous
He says that he is going to eat it.
Past Simple Past Continuous
He said that he was going to eat it.
 REPORTED SPEECH
• We use the indirect (reported speech) when
we are telling someone what other person
says or said.
• The tense of the reporting verb ( say, tell,
ask...) often affects the tense of the reported
statement:
e.g. He says: "The campaign is a great success". D
He says (that) the campaign is a great success. I
e.g. He said: "The campaign is a great success". D
He said (that) the campaign was a great success. I
 The change of tenses
• When the reporting verb is in a past tense, the following
changes may occur in the reported sentence:

Present simple →Past Simple

Past Simple →Past Perfect
Present Perfect →Past Perfect
Present Continuous →Past Continuous
Present Perfect Continuous → Past Perfect Continuous
will →would
can →could
must →had to

etc.
 People, places, times and things
People I → he/she
you → me
my → his/her
your → mine
Place here → there
Times now → then, at the time
today → that day, on Monday
yesterday → the day before, the previous day
tomorrow → the next day, the following day
this afternoon → that afternoon
last week → the week before, the previous week
next week → the week after, the following week
a few days ago → a few days before
Things this project → that project
 Say or Tell
• We say something and we tell somebody
e.g. John said he was satisfied with the project.
John told me he was satisfied with the project.
• Never use TO between tell and object

Other Reporting Verbs

Verb + -ing admit, deny, mention, propose, suggest…

Verb + to infinitive agree, ask, demand, decide, offer…
Verb + that clause admit, claim, promise, confirm…

e.g. He said: "I didn’t do that."

He denied doing that.
 Reporting Questions
Mind the word order!

1. WH-questions:
reporting verb + WH-word + subject + main verb

e.g. Where is it?"

He asked me where it was.
When will the goods arrive?"
They asked me when the goods would arrive.
What time does the train leave?
They wanted to know when the train left.
 Reporting Questions
Mind the word order!

2. Yes/ No Questions
reporting verb + IF/ WHETHER + subject + main
verb

e.g. Do you speak French?

She asked me if I spoke French.
Are you going to pay in cash?
He asked me whether I was going to pay in cash.
When there is NO Sequence of Tenses
I. Up-to-date reporting
e.g.:
"I’m going swimming tomorrow," George said.
(spoken on Monday, Oct. 8, at 11 a.m.)

George said he is going swimming tomorrow.

(spoken on Monday, Oct. 8, at 4 p.m.)
When there is NO Sequence of Tenses
II. The reporting verb is NOT in a past tense e.g.:
"Where are you taking me?" Susan has asked.

Susan has asked where I am taking her.

"Paul doesn’t know a thing," Mary says.

Mary complains that Paul doesn’t know a

thing.
 When there is NO Sequence of Tenses
III. While reporting universal/general laws
and/or truths, e.g.:
"The Moon goes round the Earth," I said.

I said (that) the Moon goes round the Earth.

"June follows May," the teacher said.

The teacher observed that June follows May.

When there is NO Sequence of Tenses
IV. While reporting Unreal Past structures, e.g.:
"I wish Susan was here," Jeff said.

Jeff said he wished Susan was there.

"If only Jack didn’t find out!" Susan cried.

Susan said she wished Jack didn’t find out

When there is NO Sequence of
Tenses
IVb. While reporting Conditional 2 sentences,
e.g.:
"If she slept longer, she wouldn’t be tired."
I observed that if she slept longer, she wouldn’t
be tired.
"If George knew Spanish, he could work in
Madrid."
Ann was sure that if George knew Spanish, he
could work in Madrid.
 BUT!!!
"If my dad was alive, he would know what to
do."
Sue said that if her dad had been alive, he
would have known what to do.
"If she had four hands, she would work faster."
I was sure that if she had had four hands, she
would have worked faster.
When there is NO Sequence of Tenses
V. While reporting time clauses referring to the
past, e.g.:
"When I was in London, I worked in a pub."

Mike said that when he was in London, he (had)

worked in a pub.

"By the time she came, we had finished."

I explained that by the time she came, we had

finished.
When there is NO Sequence of Tenses
VI. While reporting certain Modal Verbs, e.g.:
SHOULD 🡪 SHOULD
"They should finish soon."

I said they should finish soon.

WOULD 🡪 WOULD

"Would you agree to sign it?"

She asked if I would agree to sign it.

OUGHT TO 🡪 OUGHT TO
"We ought to concentrate more."
Jeff said we ought to concentrate more.
USED TO 🡪 USED TO
"They never used to dance well."
Ben told us that they never used to dance well.
MIGHT 🡪 MIGHT/COULD
"She might be right."
My opinion was that she might/could be right.
MIGHT – MIGHT/COULD/WAS-WERE ALLOWED TO
"You might use my car tonight."
Dad said I might/could/was allowed to use his car that
night.

COULD → COULD/HAD BEEN ABLE TO

"She could swim when she was three."
I couldn’t believe that she could/had been able to
swim when she was three. ➔ ABILITY
"She could help us if she wanted."
I was sure she could help us if she wanted
➔ PROBABILITY
• Some tricky Modal Verbs (1):
❑ MUST 1 ➔ DUTY/OBLIGATION/NECESSITY
"We must study more to master the theory."

Ann said we had to study more to master the theory.

❑ MUST 2 ➔ LOGICAL ASSUMPTION

"She must come from France if she knows French."

I was sure she must come from France if she knew

French.
• Some tricky Modal Verbs (1):
SHALL 1 ➔ SHOULD
(REQUESTING COMMAND/ORDER/SUGGESTION)
"Shall I retype the letter?"
The secretary asked if she should retype the letter.

SHALL 2 ➔ WOULD (PURE FUTURE)

"Shall I ever be happy?"
Betty wondered if she would ever be happy.
• "Ordinary" Modal Verbs:
• CAN ➔ could
• MAY ➔ might/could
• WILL ➔ would
• DARE ➔ dared
• NEED ➔ needed
 THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR (1)

❑NEVER change Infinitive to Perfect Infinitive

"He shouldn't worry."
*Betty was sure he shouldn't have worried
Betty was sure he shouldn't worry.

"It might be done soon."

I said it might have been done soon.
I said it might be done soon.
 THINGS TO WATCH OUT FOR (2)

❑ sometimes Modal Verbs refer to future

"I must come tomorrow."
She said she would have to come the next day.

"When can you finish it?"

I asked when he would be able to finish it.