THE PASSIVE VOICE

PASSIVE VOICE
A) Use of Passive

Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is

not important or not known who or what is performing the
action.

Example: My bike was stolen.

In the example above, the focus is on the fact that my bike

was stolen. I do not know, however, who did it.
Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite
than active voice, as the following example shows:

Example: A mistake was made.

In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was

made, but I do not blame anyone (e.g. You have
made a mistake.).
B) Form of Passive

Subject + to be + Past Participle (3rd column of irregular verbs)

Example: A letter was written.

When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the

following:

•object of the "active" sentence becomes subject in the

"passive" sentence.
•subject of the "active" sentence becomes "object" in the
"passive" sentence" (or is left out)
 EXAMPLES

Active: Peter builds a house.

Passive: A house is built by Peter.

Active Peter builds a house.

SIMPLE
Simple Present
PRESENT

Passive: A house is built by Peter.

Active: Peter built a house.

SIMPLE
Simple Past
PAST

Passive: A house was built by Peter.

Active: Peter will build a house.
SIMPLE
FUTURE
will-future

Passive: A house will be built by Peter.

Active: Peter can build a house.

MODAL
Modals
VERBS

Passive: A house can be built by Peter.

C) Active sentences with two objects in passive

When there are two objects in an active sentence, there are

two possible active sentences and two possible passive
sentences.

possibility 1:
The professor explained the students the exercise.
possibility 2:
The professor explained the exercise to the students.

There are two objects in each of the following sentences:

object 1 = indirect object: the students
object 2 = direct object: the exercise
An indirect object is very often a person, a direct object a thing.
When a direct object is followed by an indirect one, we put to
in front of the indirect object.
Each of the objects (direct and indirect) can be the subject
in the passive sentence.

passive sentence - possibility 1

subject verb object (by-agent)

were
The students the exercise. (by the professor).
explained

passive sentence - possibility 2

subject verb object (by-agent)

The exercise was explained to the students (by the professor