11 May 2021

THE PASSIVE

FORM: BE+ PAST PARTICIPLE

ACTIVE PASSIVE
They ate all the food. All the food was eaten.
We have sold the car. The car has been sold.
They are repairing the bridge. The bridge is being repaired.
You can see the house from here. The house can be seen from here.

Use the passive:

- when what happens is more important than who does it:
The car has been repaired, so we can go away this weekend.
- we do not know who does/did the action:
His phone has been stolen.
- it is obvious who does/did the action:
The law was passed earlier this year.

THE PASSIVE WITH “ GET’’

- when we want to say that something happened to someone/ something:
He got hurt playing football yesterday.
I am afraid one of your windows got broken.
- it is used mainly in informal spoken English:
He got arrested by the police.

THE PASSIVE WITH REPORTING VERBS

- used to report what people say/think, especially when we do not know
who said it/ thought it:
The Queen is said to be suffering these days.
Fernando Alonso is considered to be the best Spanish Formula One
driver.
- to talk about the past, we use the PERFECT INFINITIVE:
The Prime Minister is understood to have spoken to the protesters.