Introduction to the Passive Voice
The Passive Voice
VoiceActive / Passive
The subject does something
The boss hired a new secretary
Something happens to the subject
A new secretary was hired by the boss
The Passive Voice: Form A passive sentence consists of: The
subject.The verb to be in the correct tense.The past participle of
the verb needed.Sometimes, the agent and/or other complements.
Subjectverb to bePast participle ++The workerswerefired ++
Attention!!The agent shows who performed the action.It is
introduced by means of the the preposition BY.For example:
Subjectverb to bePast participle ++My sisterwashired++
by the new manager(+)Agent ++
The Passive Voice: UsesWe use the passive voice when::we want to
emphasize the action more than the subject performing it, because
the action is more important.Example: More and more computers are
sold every day.the subject performing the action is obvious or
unknown.Example: The thief was arrested two hours ago.we want to
avoid an active sentence whose subject is somebody, nobody, someone
etc.Example: The bank was robbed.
An active sentence can become a passive sentence
A passive sentence can become an active sentence
An active sentence can become a passive sentence
A passive sentence can become an active sentence The
secretarysent the lettersActive:
An active sentence can become a passive sentence
A passive sentence can become an active sentence The
secretarysent the lettersActive:Passive:sentThe letterswere bythe
secretary
An active sentence can become a passive sentence
A passive sentence can become an active sentence The
secretarysent the lettersActive:Passive:sentThe letterswere
bythe secretary
An active sentence can become a passive sentence
A passive sentence can become an active sentence The
secretarysent the lettersActive:Passive:sentThe letterswere
bythe secretary
An active sentence can become a passive sentence
A passive sentence can become an active sentence The
secretarysent the lettersActive:Passive:sentThe letterswere
bythe secretary
An active sentence can become a passive sentence
A passive sentence can become an active sentence The
secretarysent the lettersActive:Passive:sentThe letterswere
bythe secretary
An active sentence can become a passive sentence
A passive sentence can become an active sentence The
secretarysent the lettersActive:Passive:sentThe letterswere
bythe secretary
An active sentence can become a passive sentence
A passive sentence can become an active sentence The
secretarysent the lettersActive:Passive:sentThe letterswere
bythe secretaryBut!!!Sometimes, there are two possibilities,
when the verb has two objects (direct/ indirect) The manager
gave
a prize to the best workersthe best workers a prize
An active sentence can become a passive sentence
A passive sentence can become an active sentence When the verb
in the active sentence has two objects, we can make two different
passive sentences: Active sentenceThe manager gave
Passive sentenceA prize was given to the best workers by the
manager-The best workers were given a prize by the manager
a prize to the best workersthe best workers a prize
Active/ Passive verb tenses TenseActivePassivePresent simpleThe
company hires new workers every year.New workers are hired by the
company every year.Present ContinuousThe company is hiring new
workers nowNew workers are being hired by the company.Past
SimpleThe company hired new workers last year.New workers were
hired by the company last year.Past ContinuousThe company was
hiring new workers yesterday.New workers were being hired by the
company yesterday.Presente perfect simpleThe company has hired new
workers.New workers have been hired by the company.Future simpleThe
company will hire new workers.New workers will be hired by the
companyPast perfect simpleThe company had hired new workers.New
workers had been hired by the company.ModalsThe company can hire
new workers.New workers can be hired by the company.Modal
perfectsThe company must have hired new workers.New workers must
have been hired by the company.
The End
