JAVERIANA

UNIVERSITY

PASSIVE VOICE

Carolina Vargas Gómez

 Passive Voice in Simple Past
ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE
Subject Verb Object Subject Verb Object
the The was by
Leonardo painted Mona Mona painted Leonardo
da Vinci Lisa Lisa da Vinci
the films The films by
Steven E.T. E.T. were Steven
Spielberg directed and and directed Spielberg
Jurassic Jurassic
Park Park

the The
plays plays
wrote ‘ Hamlet’ ‘ Hamlet’ were by
Shakespeare
Shakespear and and written
e
‘Romeo ‘Romeo
and and
Juliet’ Juliet’
 Passive Voice in Simple Past
ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE

Subject Verb Object Subject Verb Object

the The were by
The built Great Great built the
Egyptians Pyramids Pyramids Egyptians

the Tv The Tv by
Matt created series series “The was Matt
Groening “The Simpsons” created Groening
Simpsons”

The the Statue The Statue by the

people of gave of Liberty of Liberty was people of
France given France

the last The last was by France

France won World Cup World Cup won
 Passive Voice in Simple Past
ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE

Subject Verb Object Subject Verb Object

Michael the The by

Jackson recorded album album was Michael
“Thriller” “Thriller” recorded Jackson

Celine The love The love by

Dion theme theme Celine
sang from from was sung Dion
“Titanic” “Titanic”

Coca- Coca- In
They invented Cola in Cola was Atlanta,
Atlanta, invented Georgia
Georgia
 PRACTICE
• Ask and answer, as in the example.
1. Apple / create / Steve jobs
A: Who was Apple created by?
B: It was created by Steve Jobs.
2. “The Da Vinci Code” and “The Lost Symbol” / write / Dan Brown
3. The Sydney Opera House / design / Jorn Utzon
4. The Taj Mahal / build / Shah Jahan
5. The first jeans / wear / American local laborers
6. The first aeroplane / fly / the Wright brothers
7. The music for “La La Land” / compose / Justin Hurwitz
8. “The Irishman” and “Taxi driver” / direct / Martin Scorsese
9. “Starry Night” and “Sunflowers” / paint / Vincent van Gogh
10. The “Lion King” soundtrack / sing / Elton John
11. The first automobile / drive / Karl Benz
 Passive Voice in other tenses

TENSE ACTIVE PASSIVE

PRESENT S. They grow tea in India. Tea is grown in India.

SIMPLE PL. Italians make Fiat cars. Fiat cars are made by Italians.

S. Mary Shelly wrote the novel The novel Frankenstein was written
“Frankenstein”. by Mary Shelly.

PAST SIMPLE PL. Thieves stole two paintings from Two paintings were stolen from
the museum last night. the museum last night.
Alexander Graham Bell didn’t The television wasn’t invented by
invent the television. Alexander Graham Bell.

S. Somebody is cleaning the room The room is being cleaned at the

PRESENT at the moment. moment.
CONTINUOUS PL. The Coen brothers are Two series (for HBO) are being
producing two series for HBO. produced by the Coen brothers.
 Passive Voice in other tenses

TENSE ACTIVE PASSIVE

S. Tarantino has written a new A new screenplay has been written
PRESENT screenplay. by Tarantino.
PERFECT
PL. Film studios have cancelled all All productions have been
productions due to the pandemic. cancelled due to the pandemic.

FUTURE Martin Scorsese will film “Killers of “Killers of the Flower Moon” will
the Flower Moon” in 2021. be filmed by Martin Scorsese in
2021.
 Active or Passive voice? Circle the correct form.
THE PIANO

The Piano won / was won the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film
Festival in 1993. It directed / was directed by Jane Campion,
and it starred Holly Hunter and Harvey Keitel. It sets / is set in
New Zealand in the 19th century, and is about a Scottish woman,
Ada, who sent / is sent there by her parents to marry a local man.
She only takes / is taken two things with her: her daughter and her
piano. Ada never speaks / is spoken, and has a very unhappy time with her new husband,
who is a violent man. Ada falls / is fallen in love with a neighbor and finally she rescues /
is rescued by him from her husband, and in her new life she learns / is learned to speak
again. The unforgettable soundtrack wrote / was written by Michael Nyman, and millions
of copies of that CD have sold / have been sold all over the world.