Passive voice

PASSIVE VOICE

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.

TABLE OF ENGLISH TENSES IN PASSIVE VOICE

The Simple Present Tense

Active: S + V(s/es) + O

Passive: S + am/is/are + PP/3 + by + O

EX: He reads books every day.Books are read (by him) every day.


The Present Continuous TenseActive: S + am/is/are + V-ing + O

Passive: S + am/is/are + being +PP/3 + by + O

EX: He is writing novels at the moment. novels are being written (by him) at the

moment.


The Present Perfect TenseActive: S + Has/Have + V3

ed + 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 TenseActive: S + V2

ed + 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 TenseActive: S + had + V3

ed + O

Passive: S + had + been + PP + by + OEX: He had finished his homework before

8.00 yesterday.His homework had been finished (by

him) before 8.00 yesterday.


The Simple Future TenseActive: 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 TenseActive: 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 TenseActive: S + will/shall + have + V3

ed + 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 (MV) IN PASSIVE VOICE

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.

PASSIVE VOICE WITH CAUSATIVE FORM

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

OTHER INFINITIVE COMBINATIONS IN PASSIVE

VOICEVerbs 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 + PPEX: 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.


VOICEWith 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.


VOICEWith 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.

OTHER INFINITIVE COMBINATIONS AFTER THE

PASSIVE VERB

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.


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.


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.


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.

OTHER GERUND COMBINATIONS IN PASSIVE

VOICEWith 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.

OTHER GERUND COMBINATIONS IN PASSIVE

VOICEActive: 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.

He opens the door. –the door is opened by him

We set the table. – the table is set by us She pays a lot of money. A lot of money are

paid by her She sang a song. – a song was sung by her Somebody hit me. - I was hit by somebody We stopped the bus. - the bus was stopped

by us

Kerrie has paid the bill. – the bill has been paid by him

I have eaten a hamburger. – a hamburger has been eaten by me

We have cycled a bicycle five miles. – a bicycle has been cycled five miles by us

I am eating a hamburger – a hamburger is being eaten by me

He will eat a hamburger – a hamburger will be eaten by him

Education

Passive voice