The passive voice

The Passive is not a The Passive is not a tense.tense.

The problem is that you need The problem is that you need to know all the tenses…to know all the tenses…

© 2009 by Elsa Maximiano

Present Simple Passive

English

You can have passive verbs in all the different tenses.

Here is an active verb in the present simple:

Everybody loves English. Now let’s change it into the passive voice:

is loved by everybody.

To make the passive use the verb ‘to BE’ in the same tense

as the original sentence – here it is the present simple tense

To make the passive, use past participle of

the main verb.

If you need to mention who is doing the action, use ‘by’ to introduce it.

‘is loved’ is present simple passive (because ‘is’ is in the present simple).

© EM 2009

English teachers are loved by everybody.

The verb ‘to be’ is plural in this sentence to agree

with ‘teachers’.

You don’t have to agree with that statement! You’re probably thinking:

‘Some people don’t love English teachers!’ So let’s make that passive!

English teachers are not loved

Make the verb ‘to BE’ negative in the usual

way.

by everybody.

‘by …’ may not be necessary. If it’s not

important, leave it out.

Present Continuous Passive

The drivers

Let’s look at how the passive works in other tenses.

Here is a sentence in the present continuous:

They are filming the drivers in A4999.Now let’s change it into the passive voice:

are being filmed in A4999

We don’t often use ‘to BE’ in the present continuous tense so this

may look unfamiliar!

To make the passive, use the past participle

of the main verb.

‘by them’ doesn’t tell us much. There is no need to know who’s filming the drivers.So you can leave it out.

(by them)

© EM 2009

Past Simple Passive

A UK driver

The police caught a UK driver doing make-up.

Now let’s change it into the passive voice:

was caught doing make-up

‘to BE’ in the past simple tense is ‘was’ (singular) or ‘were’

(plural)

To make the passive, use the past

participle of the main verb.

It is important to know who caught the driver, so you

should leave it there.

by the police.

© EM 2009

Present Perfect Passive

The accidents

They haven’t stopped the accidents yet.

Now let’s change it into the passive voice:

haven’t been stopped

‘to BE’ in the present perfect tense is ‘has been’ (singular) or ‘have been’ (plural).

In the negative, it’s ‘hasn’t’ or ‘haven’t’ been.

To make the passive, use the past participle

of the main verb.

by them yet.

We don’t know who they are, so we can leave it out.

© EM 2009

Past Perfect Passive

They hadhad just set up the camera because of the accidents.

Now let’s change it into the passive voice:

The camera hadhad just beenbeen

‘to BE’ in the past perfect tense is ‘had been’ (singular/plural).

To make the passive, use the past

participle of the main verb.

set up

The adverbs used with the present and past perfect, like just, must come between ‘had’ and the

verb ‘to BE’

because of the accidents

© EM 2009

Future Passive

The police will pay more attention to the drivers

Now let’s change it into the passive voice:

More attention to the drivers will be paid

the modal verb will + ‘to BE’ in the infinitive

To make the passive, use the past participle of the

main verb.

by the police.

© EM 2009

VERBS THAT ARE NOT PASSIVEDO NOT USE THESE VERBS IN PASSIVE:

arrive happen go appear

occur become come rain

cry sleep walk

stay die

NO: HE WAS DIED. IT WAS HAPPENED.I WAS STAYED.

YES: HE DIED.IT HAPPENED.I STAYED.

© EM 2009