THE PASSIVE VOICE

The Passive Voice shows that the subject of the sentence (the Grammatical subject)
does not actually perform the action. It performs the action done by the logical subject
(the direct object of the transitive verb) which becomes the the agent/the doer, the real
performer: by +...
Eg. You were seen by the teacher 10 minutes ago.

The verbs which can accept the passive voice are transitive verbs and some
prepositional verbs:
- Transitive verbs: to drink, to eat, to love, to write, to answer, to ask, to forgive, to
save, to teach, to bring, to give, to offer, to show, to hand, to lend, to envy etc.
- Prepositional verbs: to look at, to send for, to speak to, to account for, to attend to, to
look after, to look for, to prevent from, to charge with etc.

We normally use „by....” to say who did something when it is an important

information. The expression of agenthood by means of “by...” is optional.
We cam omit the agent when:
1. It is unknown, or it is expressed by personal pronoun;
2. It is obvious, clear form the context;
3. It is not important to be mentioned;
Eg. Margarine was invented by a French chef. – important to be expressed.
The thieves were caught. (the police is the only authority to arrest people – it is
obvious from the context).
The money has been stolen. (we do not know who did it)

Types of active –passive transformations:

1. transitive verbs followed by 1 direct object:
eg. He took the book. → The book was taken.
2. transitive verbs followed by 2 direct objects (the first direct object expresses a
person and the second a thing). Two transformations are possible:
eg. He taught us Mathematics.
We were taught Mathematics.
Mathematics was taught to us.
3. transitive verbs followed by 1 direct object and 1 indirect object (2
transformations are possible):
eg. I gave Mary a flower.
Mary was given a flower.
A flower was given to Mary.
4. the combination of a transitive verb followed by a direct object and a prepositional
object. The direct object becomes the subject of the passive sentence:
Eg. We congratulated him on his success.
He was congratulated on his success.
He sliced the bread with a knife.
The bread was sliced with a knife.
5.prepositional verbs:
eg. You sent for the doctor. → The doctor was sent for.

Transformations:

Present simple: am/are/is + Past Participle

The grow bananas in tropical areas. → Bananas are grown in tropical areas.

Present continuous: am/are/is + being + Past Participle

They are redecorating the house. → The house is being redecorated.

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Present perfect simple: have/has + been + Past Participle
The chef has peeled the carrots. → The carrots have been peeled.

Past simple: was/were + Past Participle:

They served the meal in an elegant restaurant. → The meal was served in an elegant
restaurant.

Past continuous: was/were + being +Past Participle:

Eg. They were preparing the suitcase in a hurry. → The suitcase was being prepared in a
hurry.

Past perfect simple: had +been +Past Participle

Eg. Someone had eaten all the food. → All the food had been eaten.

Future simple: shall/will + be + Past Participle

Eg. We will deliver your pizza in 20 minutes. → The pizza will be delivered in 20
minutes.

“be going to”: is/are going to + be + Past Participle:

Eg. The officer is going to bring the documents. → The documents are going to be
brought.

Future perfect simple: will + have + been + Past Participle

Eg. They will have harvested all the grapes by the end of September. → All the grapes
will have been harvested by the end of September.

Modals: modal + be + Past Participle

Eg. You should buy a present for her mother. → A present should be bought for her
mother.

Modals + perfect infinitive: modal + have +been + Past Participle

Eg. They should have delivered the furniture by now. → The furniture should have been
delivered by now.

Diateza Pasiva ( Passive Voice )

Tense /Verb Form Active Voice Passive Voice

Present Simple keeps is kept
Present Continuous is keeping is being kept
Present Perfect has kept has been kept
Past Simple kept was kept
Past Continuous was keeping was being kept
Past Perfect had kept had been kept
Future will keep will be kept
Conditional would keep would be kept
Perfect Conditional would have kept would have been kept
Present Infinitive to keep to be kept
Perfect Infinitive to have kept to have been kept
Present Participle / gerund keeping being kept
Perfect Participle having kept having been kept

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Impersonal passive may be expressed by means of some verbs such as: say, believe,
think, claim, estimate, argue, suggest etc.
The pattern is: noun +is/are said to +bare infinitive/perfect infinitive.
It is said that + clause
Eg. People think he is a great chef. → It is thought to be a great chef. / It is thought that
he is a great chef.
People believe he was a great chef. → He is believed to have been a great chef. / It is
believed that he was a great chef.

The passive with GET / have is used more in informal style. It often refers to something
happening by accident, unexpectedly:
Eg. The vase got broken when we moved.
 We can use „get somebody to do” and have somebody do” when we want to
refer to the person we arrange to do something for us: have / get + object +
past participle:
Eg. When are you going to get / have that window mended?
I must get / have my hair cut.