You are on page 1of 18

Passive

Passive: Use
We use the passive when:

We don’t know who did something or it is


not important.

The road is being repaired.


Passive: Use
We use the passive when:

The agent, who does the action, is very


obvious

A bike is being stolen, call the cops!


Passive: Use
We use the passive when:

When the main thing we are talking about is the object


of the verb.

I read an interesting article which was written by a man who


spent a year in the jungle
Passive: Form
To form the passive we use

Subject + verb be + past participle + object

Chopsticks are used to eat in China


Passive: Form
To change an active sentence to passive

1. Identify the direct object in the sentence.

2. Move the direct object to the subject position.

3. Write the verb be.


Passive: Form
To change an active sentence to passive

4. Write the main verb in the past participle.

5. If the subject of the active sentence is important write


it after by.

6. Write the indirect object if any.


Passive: Form
To change an active sentence to passive

Many people have seen the Avengers.

1. The Avengers
Passive: Form
To change an active sentence to passive

Many people have seen the Avengers.

2. The Avengers has been


Passive: Form
To change an active sentence to passive

Many people have seen the Avengers.

3. The Avengers has been seen


Passive: Form
To change an active sentence to passive

Many people have seen the Avengers.

4. The Avengers has been seen by


many people
Passive: Tenses
Tense Active Passive

Present Simple Vero makes cakes. Cakes are made by Vero.

Present
Vero is making a cake. A cake is being made by Vero.
Continuous

Present Perfect Vero has made a cake. A cake has been made by Vero.
Passive: Tenses

Tense Active Passive

Past Simple They drank coffee. Coffee was drunk by them.

Past Continuous They were drinking coffee. Coffee was being drunk by them.

Past Perfect They had drunk coffee. Coffee had been drunk by them.
Passive: Tenses

Tense Active Passive

Future Simple He will wash the car. The car will be washed by him.

Modals
He must wash the car. The car must be washed by him.
We can use different prepositions in the
passive with made
The Passive:
Prepositions
after made

Made + by + a method

Scrambled eggs are made by mixing eggs


together.
We can use different prepositions in the
passive with made
The Passive:
Prepositions
after made

Made + with + a tool

This baby Groot was made with a 3D printer.


We can use different prepositions in the
passive with made
The Passive:
Prepositions
after made

Made + from/out of + original object

This bracelet is made out of cotton strings.


Let’s practice now.

Go to:
https://www.englishclub.com/grammar/pa
ssive-voice-quiz.htm

You might also like