Active: S+V+O

Passive: S + Be + PP(V3ed) + by + O
(tense)
EX: My father planted this tree last year.
This tree was planted by my father
last year.
 Present tense Past tense
1st person I am We are I was We were
2nd person You are You are You were You were
3rd person He, she, it is They are He, she, it was They were
 When the agent is unknown, unimportant or
obvious from the context
 To make more polite or formal statements
 When the action is more important than the
agent, as in processes, instructions, events,
reports, headlines, news items, and
advertisements
 To put emphasis on the agent
 Active Voice
Subject Active Object
(doer) Verb (receiver)
Mrs Chan washes the dishes.

Passive Voice
Object Active Subject
(receiver) Verb (doer)
The dishes are washed by Mrs Chan
The Simple Present Tense
Active: S + V(s/es) + O

Passive: S + am/is/are + PP + by + O
EX: He reads books every day.
Books are read (by him) every day.
 The Present Continuous Tense
Active: S + am/is/are + V-ing + O

Passive: S + am/is/are + being +PP + by + O

EX: He is writing a novel at the moment.
A novel is being written (by him) at the
moment.
 The Present Perfect Tense
Active: S + Has/Have + V3ed + O

Passive: S + has/have + been +PP + by + O

EX: He has just finished a novel.
A novel has just been finished (by
him).
 The Simple Past Tense
Active: S + V2ed + O

Passive: S + was/were + PP + by + O
EX: He gave Tom a book.
A book was given to Tom (by him).
Tom was given a book (by him).
The Past Continuous Tense
Active: S + was/were + V-ing + O

Passive: S + was/were + being + PP + by + O

EX: He was writing a letter at 8.00 yesterday.
A letter was being written (by him).
 The Past Perfect Tense
Active: S + had + V3ed + O

Passive: S + had + been + PP + by + O

EX: He had finished his homework before
8.00 yesterday.
His homework had been finished (by
him) before 8.00 yesterday.
 The Simple Future Tense
Active: S + will/shall + V + O

Passive: S + will/shall + be + PP + by + O
EX: He will finish the homework.
The homework will be finished.
 The Future Continuous Tense
Active: S + will/shall + be + V-ing + O

Passive: S + will/shall + be + being + PP + by + O

EX: Tom will be cooking lunch at 10.00
tomorrow.
Lunch will be being cooked by Tom
at 10.00 tomorrow.
 The Future Perfect Tense
Active: S + will/shall + have + V3ed + O

Passive: S + will/shall + have + been + PP + by + O

EX: By the end of next week, he will have
written 10 letters to her.
By the end of next week, 10 letters will
have been written to her.
Modal Verbs can be used in either the present
or past forms.
Active: S + MV (not) + V + O

Passive: S + MV (not) + Be + PP + by + O
EX: We can’t solve this problem.
This problem can’t be solved.
Active: S + Has/Have + O1 + V (BI)+ O2
S + Get + O1 + V (to-infinitive) + O2

Passive: S + Has/Have/Get + O2 + PP
EX: My father had Tom wash his car.
My father had his car washed by Tom
Verbs of liking/loving/wanting/wishing + Object
+ infinitive form their passive with the passive
infinitive.
Active: S + V + O1 + to-infinitive + O2

Passive: S + V + O + To Be + PP
EX: He wants someone to take photographs.
He wants photographs to be taken.
Such verbs as “have/let/make/hear/see/watch/feel/
observe” are used in the following passive
structure:
Active: S + V + O + V (BI)
Passive: S + To Be + PP + to-Infinitive
EX: The gravity makes things drop down.
Things are made to drop down by the gravity.
Note: The verb following “let” does not bear “to”
in the passive sentence.
With advise/beg/order/recommend/urge + Indirect
Object + Infinitive + Object, we have two ways of
making the passive voice.
<1>Active: S + V + O1 + to-infinitive + O2

Passive: S + To Be + PP + to-infinitive + O2
EX: He urged the Council to reduce the tax.
The Council was urged to reduce the tax.
With advise/beg/order/recommend/urge + Indirect
Object + infinitive + Object, we have two ways of
making the passive voice.
<2>Active: S + V + O1 + to-infinitive + O2

Passive: S1 + V + that + S2 + should be + PP

EX: He urged the Council to reduce the tax.
He urged that the tax should be reduced.
After acknowledge/assume/believe/claim/
consider /estimate/feel/find/know/report/
say/think /understand …, we use the
infinitive construction.
Simple Infinitive: if the time in the infinitive
passive is the same as that of the main
active verb.
<1>Active: S1 + V1 + that + S2 + V2 + (O)

Passive: It + To Be + PP + that + S2 + V2 +
(O)
EX: People said that he was jealous of her.
It was said that he was jealous of her.
<2>Active: S1 + V1 + that + S2 + V2 + (O)

Passive: S+ To Be + PP + to + V+ (O)
EX: People said that he was jealous of her.
He was said to be jealous of her.
Perfect Infinitive: if the time in the infinitive
passive is earlier than that of the main active
verb.
<1>Active: S1 + V1 + that + S2 + V2 + (O)

Passive: It + To Be + PP + that + S2 + V2 +
(O)
EX: People say that he was jealous of her.
It is said that he was jealous of her.
<2>Active: S1 + V1 + that + S2 + V2 + (O)

Passive: S+ To Be + PP + to have + PP + (O)

EX: People say that he was jealous of her.
He is said to have been jealous of her.
With advise/insist/propose/recommend
/suggest + Gerund + Object
Active: S + V + V-ing + O

Passive: S + V + that + S + should be + PP

EX: He recommended using bullet-proof glass.
He recommended that bullet-proof glass
should be used.
Active: S + V + O + V-ing

Passive: S + V + Being + PP + by + O
EX: I remembered my father taking me to the
zoo.
I remember being taken to the zoo by my
father.
 Active: S + V + To-inf + O

Passive: S + V + To Be + PP + by + O
EX: She started to learn English 5 years ago.
English started to be learnt 5 years ago.
Active: S + V + V-ing + O

Passive: S + V + Being + PP + by + O
EX: She started learning English 5 years ago.
English started being learnt 5 years ago.
 is called (call)
There is a dog which 1)_______
is owned(own)
Bubbles”. It 2) ___________
is kept
by Michael Johnson. It 3)_________
is fed
(keep) in his home. It 4)___________
(feed) every day by Michael Johnson
is dressed
himself. It 5) __________(dress) in
is said
funny clothes. It 6)_________(say)
that “Bubbles” is Johnson’s only
friend.
 Active Voice Passive voice
I finish a project in A project is finished in
eight hours. eight hours.
I finish three projects Three projects are finished
in eight hours in eight hours
I finished a project in A project was finished in
eight hours. eight hours.
I finished three Three projects were
projects in eight hours. finished in eight hours.
 Active Voice Passive voice
I finish a project in A project is finished in
eight hours. eight hours.
I finish three projects Three projects are finished
in eight hours in eight hours
I finished a project in A project was finished in
eight hours. eight hours.
I finished three Three projects were
projects in eight hours. finished in eight hours.
 Active Voice Passive voice
I finish a project in A project is finished in
eight hours. eight hours.
I finish three projects Three projects are finished
in eight hours in eight hours
I finished a project in A project was finished in
eight hours. eight hours.
I finished three Three projects were
projects in eight hours. finished in eight hours.
 Active Voice Passive voice
I finish a project in A project is finished in
eight hours. eight hours.
I finish three projects Three projects are finished
in eight hours in eight hours
I finished a project in A project was finished in
eight hours. eight hours.
I finished three Three projects were
projects in eight hours. finished in eight hours.
 Active Voice Passive voice
I finish a project in A project is finished in
eight hours. eight hours.
I finish three projects Three projects are finished
in eight hours in eight hours
I finished a project in A project was finished in
eight hours. eight hours.
I finished three Three projects were
projects in eight hours. finished in eight hours.
 Active Voice Passive voice
I finish a project in A project is finished in
eight hours. eight hours.
I finish three projects Three projects are finished
in eight hours in eight hours
I finished a project in A project was finished in
eight hours. eight hours.
I finished three Three projects were
projects in eight hours. finished in eight hours.
 Active Voice Passive voice
I finish a project in A project is finished in
eight hours. eight hours.
I finish three projects Three projects are finished
in eight hours in eight hours
I finished a project in A project was finished in
eight hours. eight hours.
I finished three Three projects were
projects in eight hours. finished in eight hours.
 Active Voice Passive voice
I finish a project in A project is finished in
eight hours. eight hours.
I finish three projects Three projects are finished
in eight hours in eight hours
I finished a project in A project was finished in
eight hours. eight hours.
I finished three Three projects were
projects in eight hours. finished in eight hours.
1) The policemen catch the thief.
Ans: The thief is caught by the policemen.

2) The girl puts on a beautiful dress.

Ans: A beautiful dress is put on by the girl.
Exercise 3
: Change passive to active

1) The dishes are washed by Amy.

Ans: Amy washes the dishes.

2) The car is repaired by John and Peter.

Ans: John and Peter repair the car.