grammar passive voice

1. Using the
Passive Voice

2. Using the Passive Voice
•Definitions
•Changing to the passive voice
•Practice examples

3. Active Voice vs. Passive Voice
•Active voice takes the form “A does B”
• We chose the plastic film to cover the microphone
•Passive voice takes the form “B is done (by A)”
• Plastic film was chosen (by us) to cover the microphone

4. Active Voice Subjects Perform an Act
We ... chose ... plastic film to cover the microphone.
Active voice
Subject Verb Object

5. Active Voice Subjects Perform an Act
We ... chose ... plastic film to cover the microphone.
Active voice
Subject Verb Object
Plastic film … was chosen … to cover the microphone.
Passive voice
Subject Verb Object

6. Active Voice Subjects Perform an Act
Plastic film … was chosen … to cover the microphone.
Passive voice
Subject Verb Object
The team ... chose ... plastic film to cover the
microphone.
Third person, but active voice
Subject Verb Object

7. Using the Passive Voice
•Definitions
•Changing to the passive voice
•Practice examples

8. Combine “To be” + Past Participle
•“To be” is very irregular:
•Past participles usually add “-ed” or “-t”: presented,
measured, built, burnt
•Irregular past principles must be memorized
Present Tense Past Tense
1st person I am We are I was We were
2nd person You are You are You were You were
3rd person He, she, it is They are He, she, it was They were

9. Omit the “Agent” of the Action
•Active
• Workers installed burglar alarms.
•Passive, with agent
• Burglar alarms were installed by the workers.
•Passive, with the agent omitted
• Burglar alarms were installed.

10. Remember Tense and Number
Active Voice Passive Voice
I finish a project in eight hours.
I finish three projects in eight hours.
I finished a project in eight hours.
I finished three projects in eight hours.

11. Remember Tense and Number
Active Voice Passive Voice
I finish a project in eight hours. A project is finished in eight hours.
I finish three projects in eight hours.
I finished a project in eight hours.
I finished three projects in eight hours.

12. Remember Tense and Number
Active Voice Passive Voice
I finish a project in eight hours. A project is finished in eight hours.
I finish three projects in eight hours.
I finished a project in eight hours.
I finished three projects in eight hours.

13. Remember Tense and Number
Active Voice Passive Voice
I finish a project in eight hours. A project is finished in eight hours.
I finish three projects in eight hours. Three projects are finished in eight hours.
I finished a project in eight hours.
I finished three projects in eight hours.

14. Remember Tense and Number
Active Voice Passive Voice
I finish a project in eight hours. A project is finished in eight hours.
I finish three projects in eight hours. Three projects are finished in eight hours.
I finished a project in eight hours.
I finished three projects in eight hours.

15. Remember Tense and Number
Active Voice Passive Voice
I finish a project in eight hours. A project is finished in eight hours.
I finish three projects in eight hours. Three projects are finished in eight hours.
I finished a project in eight hours. A project was finished in eight hours.
I finished three projects in eight hours.

16. Remember Tense and Number
Active Voice Passive Voice
I finish a project in eight hours. A project is finished in eight hours.
I finish three projects in eight hours. Three projects are finished in eight hours.
I finished a project in eight hours. A project was finished in eight hours.
I finished three projects in eight hours.

17. Remember Tense and Number
Active Voice Passive Voice
I finish a project in eight hours. A project is finished in eight hours.
I finish three projects in eight hours. Three projects are finished in eight hours.
I finished a project in eight hours. A project was finished in eight hours.
I finished three projects in eight hours. Three projects were finished in eight hours.

18. Using the Passive Voice
•Definitions
•Changing to the passive voice
•Practice examples

19. Change to the Passive Voice
•The team used the following materials: a model rocket
requiring some assembly, a tube of “Super Glue®,” a
cartridge of matter, and a tank of antimatter.

20. Change to the Passive Voice
•The team used the following materials: a model rocket
requiring some assembly, a tube of “Super Glue®,” a
cartridge of matter, and a tank of antimatter.
•The following materials were used: a model rocket
requiring some assembly, a tube of “Super Glue®,” a
cartridge of matter, and a tank of antimatter.

21. Change to the Passive Voice
•The EG 1003 course also supplied the launch stand,
the barrier, and two atomic clocks.

22. Change to the Passive Voice
•The EG 1003 course also supplied the launch stand,
the barrier, and two atomic clocks.
•The launch stand, the barrier, and two atomic clocks
were supplied by the EG 1003 course.

23. Change to the Passive Voice
•First, we obtained the rocket kit from a TA.

24. Change to the Passive Voice
•First, we obtained the rocket kit from a TA.
•First, the rocket kit was obtained from a TA.

25. Change to the Passive Voice
•First, we obtained the rocket kit from a TA.
•First, the rocket kit was obtained from a TA.
•I inspected the kit to ensure that all parts were present.

26. Change to the Passive Voice
•First, we obtained the rocket kit from a TA.
•First, the rocket kit was obtained from a TA.
•I inspected the kit to ensure that all parts were present.
•The kit was inspected to ensure that all parts were
present.

27. Change to the Passive Voice
•Miguel attached the four control surfaces (fins) to the
fuselage of the model using Super Glue®.

28. Change to the Passive Voice
•Miguel attached the four control surfaces (fins) to the
fuselage of the model using Super Glue®.
•The four control surfaces (fins) were attached to the
fuselage of the model using Super Glue®.

29. Change to the Passive Voice
•We pressed the red power switch, activating the model.

30. Change to the Passive Voice
•We pressed the red power switch, activating the model.
•The red power switch was pressed, activating the
model.

31. Change to the Passive Voice
•The team noted the time to verify that there would be
enough battery power when the rocket was launched.

32. Change to the Passive Voice
•The team noted the time to verify that there would be
enough battery power when the rocket was launched.
•The time was noted to verify that there would be
enough battery power when the rocket was launched.

33. Change to the Passive Voice
•Francisca pushed the yellow button, starting the
Level 1 Diagnostic for the positronic control system.

34. Change to the Passive Voice
•Francisca pushed the yellow button, starting the
Level 1 Diagnostic for the positronic control system.
•The yellow button was pressed, starting the
Level 1 Diagnostic for the positronic control system.

35. Change to the Passive Voice
•The team took the model out to MetroTech commons.

36. Change to the Passive Voice
•The team took the model out to MetroTech commons.
•The model was taken out to MetroTech commons.

37. Change to the Passive Voice
•The team took the model out to MetroTech commons.
•The model was taken out to MetroTech commons.
•I obtained a matter cartridge from the TA.

38. Change to the Passive Voice
•The team took the model out to MetroTech commons.
•The model was taken out to MetroTech commons.
•I obtained a matter cartridge from the TA.
•A matter cartridge was obtained from the TA.

39. Change to the Passive Voice
•We snapped this cartridge into the model.

40. Change to the Passive Voice
•We snapped this cartridge into the model.
•This cartridge was snapped into the model.

41. Change to the Passive Voice
•We snapped this cartridge into the model.
•This cartridge was snapped into the model.
•We mounted the model on the launch stand.

42. Change to the Passive Voice
•We snapped this cartridge into the model.
•This cartridge was snapped into the model.
•We mounted the model on the launch stand.
•The model was mounted on the launch stand.

43. Using the Passive Voice
QUESTIONS?