What is the Passive Voice?

A sentence generally begins with the performer of the

action (subject), then the verb, then the object or person
the action is performed on.

This is called an Active Sentence

Subject Verb + Object

John cleaned the room
 What is the Passive Voice?

If we begin with the objuect or person that the action

is performed on, we formulate a Passive Sentence.

Object +Verb (+vy Subject)

The room was cleaned (by John)
 What is the Passive Voice?
If we begin the sentence with the object or
person that the action is performed on , we
formulate a Passive sentence.

Note:
Not all verbs in English take an object.
Therefore some sentences are complete without
an object
 What is the Passive Voice (X)
If we begin the sentence with the object or person that the action
is performed on, we formulate a ‘Passive’ sentence.

Note:
‘John slept well’
‘John lives far away’

This type of sentence cannot be changed into the Passive

Voice.
 When should we use the Passive Voice?
1. When we do not know who the subject is, or it is not important
who the subject is.

Somebody cleaned the room = The room was cleaned

2. When it is obvious to the listener or reader who the subject is

because it is the person who usually does it:

The cleaner cleaned the toom = The room was cleaned.

 How to formulate the Passive Voice?

To formulate a passive sentence:

1. Put the object of the verb at the beginning of your sentence.

2. Conjugate the verb ‘to be’ in same tense as the active sentence.
3. Put the main verb in the Past Participle form
The postman delivers the mail = The mail is delivered.
The decorator is painting my room = My room is being painted.
Someone stole the money = The money was stolen.
 3 Important Notes
1. If you want to mention the subject in a passive sentence, use
‘by’:
My room is being painted by the decorator.

2. If the active sentence begins with ‘no-one’ or ‘nobody’, the

passive sentence will be negative.
No-one turned on the light. = The light was not turned on.

3.If there is a preposition between the verb and the object, the
preposition will remain after the verb:
They talked about the issue. = The issue was talked about.
The Passive Voice of Different Tenses
Tenses Active Passive

Present Simple I do it. It is done.

Past Simple I did it. It was done.
Future Simple I will do it. It will be done.
Present I am doing it. It is being done.
Continuous I was doing it. It was being done
Past Continuous I will be doing it. It will be being done.
Future
Continuous
 The Passive Voice of Different Tenses
Tenses Activ Passive
e
Past Perfect I had done it It had been done
Future Perfect I will have done it. It will have been done
Pesent Per Cont. I have been doing X (not common)
Past Perfect. Cont it. X (not common)
Future Perf. Cont I had been doing it. X (not common)
I have been doing
it.
The passive Voice of Other Structures (X)
In structures containing the infinitive
Do= be done

Active Passive
Be going to I am going to do it. It is going to be done by me.
Have to I have to do it. It has to be done.
Used to I used to do it. It used to be done.
Modals I can do it. It can be done.
 The Passive Voice with different
Structures
In expressions containing the gerund
Doing = being done
Active Passive

Avoid
I avoid seeing him. He avoids being seen.

Don’t mind
I don’t mind teaching him. She doesn’t mind being taught.
 Person in the object position

We can also formulate passive sentences with a person in

the object position

Somebody pushed me = I was pushed.

They have invited us. = We have been invited.

Someone was interviewing June = June was being

interviewed.
 Person in the object position

Some sentences have both an object and a person in the object

position. You can chooses either one to formulate the passive
sentence.

Someone handed me a note. = I was handed a note.

= A note was handed to me.

They have sent us a copy. = We have been sent a copy.

= A copy has been sent to us.
 Common mistakes - 1
There are four common mistakes:

1. Changing the tense to a similar tense:

Someone has reported the incidents. = The incidents were

reported.
The incidents have been
reported.

They are going to build a church = A church will be built.

A church is going to be built.
 Common mistakes - 2

1. Forgetting the verb ‘to be’:

Someone has reported the incidents. = The incidents have reported.

= The incidents have been reported.
They are going to build a church = A church is going to built.
= A church is going to be built.
 Common mistakes -3
Using the Present Participle instead of the Past participle:

Someone has reported the incidents. = The incidents have been reporting.
= The incidents have been reported.

They are going to build a church = A church is going to be building.

= A church is going to be built.
 Common mistakes -4

Plural/Singular conclusion:

Someone has reported the incidents. = The incidents has been

reported.
= The incidents have been reported.

They are going to build a church = A church are going to be built.

= A church is going to be built
 THANK YOU

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