THE PASSIVE VOICE

INTRODUCTION
The passive of an active tense is formed by putting the verb to be into
the same tense as the active verb and adding the past participle of the
active verb. The subject of the active verb becomes the ‘agent’ of the
passive verb. The agent is very often not mentioned. When it is
mentioned it is preceded by by and placed at the end of the clause.

Active: My grandfather planted this tree.

Passive: This tree was planted by my grandfather.

PASSIVE VERB TENSES ACTIVE PASSIVE VOICE

VOICE
Present Simple He delivers the The letters are
letters. delivered.
Past Simple He delivered the The letters were
letters. delivered.
Future Simple He will deliver the The letters will be
letters. delivered.
Present Continuous He is delivering the The letters are being
letters. delivered.
Past Continuous He was delivering the The letters were being
letters. delivered.
Going to He is going to deliver The letters are going
the letters. to be delivered.
Present Perfect He has delivered the The letters have been
letters. delivered.
Past Perfect He had delivered the The letters had been
letters. delivered.
Infinitive He has to deliver the The letters have to be
letters. delivered.
Modals He must deliver the The letters must be
letters. delivered.
Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice.

1. They sell oysters in the shop next door.

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2. They haven’t delivered the food yet.

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3. Shakespeare wrote King Lear.

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4. They have to answer the questions on this sheet.

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5. Has anybody put the cases upstairs?

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6. Someone should take this rubbish away.

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7. They’ll ask you a lot of questions.

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8. Someone’s going to send her some flowers.

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