2. We use active voice to say what the
doer/subject does
Passive voice is used to say what happens to
the object
Passive andActive
3. Passive voice is used when the focus is on the
action,not on the doer.
Passive vs. Active
My grandfather built a house.
Subject Object
A house was built by my grandfather.
Subject Object
4. Be (is/was/have been,etc) + Past
participle
Sb.stole my bike My bike was stolen
We made a mistake A mistake was made
Sb.wrote a letter A letter was written
General Structure
5. PRESENT SIMPLE
MainVerb Is/are + Past Participle
Somebody cleans this room everyday
This room is cleaned everyday
VerbTenses
6. PAST SIMPLE
MainVerb Was/were + Past Participle
Somebody cleaned this room yesterday
This room was cleaned yesterday
VerbTenses
7. PRESENT CONTINUOUS
Is/are + Verb(ing)
Is/are + Being + Past Participle
Somebody is cleaning this room at the moment
This room is being cleaned at the moment
VerbTenses
8. PAST CONTINUOUS
Was/were + Verb(ing)
Was/were + Being + Past Participle
Somebody was cleaning this room when I arrived
This room was being cleaned when I arrived
VerbTenses
9. PRESENT PERFECT
Have/has + Verb (participle)
Have/has + Been + Past Participle
This room looks nice.
Somebody has cleaned this room
This room looks nice.It has been cleaned
VerbTenses
10. Future Simple
Will + Main Verb
Will + be + Past Participle
Somebody will clean this room tomorrow
This room will be cleaned tomorrow
11. MODAL VERBS (Should, could, may,
might…)
Modal + Verb (base form – infinitive)
Modal +Be+ Past Participle
Somebody should clean this room
This room should be cleaned
12. One object:Jane wrote a letter
Two objects:Jane wrote a letter to Jack
or
Jane wrote Jack a letter
1. A letter was written (by Jane)
2. Jack was written a letter (by Jane)
Example #1
13. One object:We gave the information
Two obj.:We gave the information toThe Police
or
We gaveThe Police the information
1. The information was given toThe Police
2. The police were given the information (by us)
Example #2
14. One object:They donated the money
Two obj.:They donated the money to the Non-profit
organization
or
They donated the Non-profit organization the money
1. The money was donated to the Non-profit
organization
2. Non-profit organization was donated the money
Example #3
15. One object:He told the story
Two obj.:He told the story to the children
or
He told the children the story
1. The story was told to the children
2. The children were told the story
Example #4
16. The window was broken by some kids who were
playing ball
The window got broken.
The glass was shattered by a baseball.
The glass got shattered.
Get
17. Ted was stung by a bee while he was sitting in the
garden
Ted got stung.
I do not want these things to be damaged
I do not want these things to getdamaged.
Get
18. Sometimes be supposed to… = be said to…
Let’s go and see that film,it is supposed to be very
good.
[it is said to be very good.]
But sometimes be supposed to… = be planned,arranged or
expected
You were supposed to clean the window,didn’t you?
(Be) supposed to…
19. In other cases,not to be supposed to means not to
be allowed to.
You are not supposed to park your car here.It is
private parking only.
The policeman wasn’t supposed to yell.He
must be polite.
Not to be supposed to…
