Present Passive

ОУ “Христо Ботев” с.Садина, общ.Попово

The passive voice

The Passive is not a tense.

You will find it easier to understand the passive if you already know the basic English verb tenses.

We make an active sentence We make an active sentence passivepassive when we when we want to put information want to put information at the beginningat the beginning of of the sentence because it is the sentence because it is more importantmore important..

A lot of moneyA lot of money is important. is important.

TouristsTourists spendspend a lot of money in London. a lot of money in London.

A lot of moneyA lot of money is spentis spent in London in London byby tourists. tourists.

TouristsTourists is important. is important.

active sentence: active sentence:

passive sentence: passive sentence:

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

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

…and the 3rd form or past participle of the

main verb. If you need to mention

who is doing the action, use ‘by’ to

introduce it.

‘is liked ’ is present simple passive

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

likes the film “The Lion King”.Everybody

The film “The Lion King” is everybody.byliked

Active sentence

Passive sentence

likeslikes

Present Passive Here is Here is an active verban active verb in the present simple: in the present simple:

Now let’s change the sentence to Now let’s change the sentence to the passive. the passive.

▪ ▪ When we make an active sentence When we make an active sentence passivepassive, the , the objectobject becomes becomes subjectsubject..

The film “The Lion King”The film “The Lion King”isis everybody.everybody.

EverybodyEverybody likeslikes the film “The Lion King”.the film “The Lion King”.

ObjectObjectSubjectSubject

byby

SubjectSubject ObjectObject

the film “The Lion King”.the film “The Lion King”.EverybodyEverybody

likedliked

Take a look at some more sentences in the present simple passive.

English teachers are loved by everybody.

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

with ‘teachers’.

Make the verb ‘to BE’ negative in the usual

way.

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

important, leave it out.

English teachers are not loved by everybody.

You don’t have to agree with that statement!

You’re thinking ‘Some people don’t love English teachers!’

So let’s make that passive!

English teachers are loved by everybody.

Can you remember the past participles of these verbs? Fill in the blank.

find

read

Check

eat

teach

eaten

taught

Check

Check

cutcut

Check

read

made

make

found

sung

sing

seen

see

Check

Check

Check

Check

Do you need to practice this

again?

Fill in the blank

A lot of coffee in Brazil. (produce)

A lot of dogs in England Ben. (call)

Check

is produced

are called

Check

A million drawings in The Lion King. (use)

Fill in the blank

are used

Simba by his friend, Nala. (find)

is found

Check

Check

Complete each sentence in the passive.

People eat millions of bars of chocolate every day! Millions of bars of chocolate every day!

We plant hundreds of trees every year. Hundreds of trees every year.

are eaten

are planted

Check

Check

Complete each sentence in the passive.

Nowadays people cut down many trees for no reason.

Nowadays many trees for no reason.

A Portuguese person teaches my sister.My sister by a Portuguese person.

are cut down

Check

is taught Check

Complete each sentence in the passive.

People read millions of newspapers every day. Millions of newspapers every day.

Smith and Co publish Tom’s new book. Tom’s new book by Smith and Co.

are read Check

is published Check