2. Alice broke your DVD
player.
(active sentence)
Your DVD player was broken by Alice. (passive sentence)
In the passive voice, the object in the active sentence
becomes the subject in the passive sentence.
object
subject

3. We use the passive voice when:
1 what is done is more important or interesting than
the person who does it.
Different computer games are brought out every year.
The computer was repaired yesterday.
2 it is obvious who is doing the action even if it is
not mentioned.
In school, we are taught Computer Studies.
The boy was arrested for stealing two CDs from the shop.
3 we do not know who is doing the action.
My new CD was stolen.
The song was written in the 1960s.

4. We form the passive voice with the verb to be + the
past participle.
We add a ‘by . . . ’ phrase if we need to say who/what
does the action.
We form passive sentences in the simple present tense
like this.
Subject Verb to be Past participle
I am amused by the film.
We are invited to the party.
He is frightened by the loud noise.

5. We form the passive voice with the verb to be + the
past participle.
We add a ‘by . . . ’ phrase if we need to say who/what
does the action.
We form passive sentences in the simple past tense like this.
Subject Verb to be Past participle
I was amused by the film.
were stolen.
It was written in 1990.
My new
CDs

6. Simple futureSimple future
 Basic formBasic form
 Will /shall + be + past participleWill /shall + be + past participle
 The classroomThe classroom will be cleanedwill be cleaned this morningthis morning

7. Present continuousPresent continuous
 Basic formBasic form
 Am/are /is + being + past participleAm/are /is + being + past participle
 The classroomThe classroom is being cleanedis being cleaned now.now.

8. Past continuousPast continuous
 Basic formBasic form
 Was/were + being + past participleWas/were + being + past participle
 The classroomThe classroom was being cleanedwas being cleaned when Iwhen I
arrived.arrived.

9. Present perfectPresent perfect
 Basic formBasic form
 Has/have + been + past participleHas/have + been + past participle
 The classroomThe classroom has been cleanedhas been cleaned

10. Past perfectPast perfect
 Basic formBasic form
 Had + been + past participleHad + been + past participle
 The classroom had been cleaned before IThe classroom had been cleaned before I
arrived.arrived.

11. Future perfectFuture perfect
 Basic formBasic form
 Will/shall + have + been + past particpleWill/shall + have + been + past particple
 The classroomThe classroom will have been cleanedwill have been cleaned by theby the
time I am home.time I am home.

12. Rewrite the following sentences in the passive voice. Use ‘by’
only of it is important or necessary to say who/what is doing the
action.
1 A French artist drew the painting.
2 Dad repaired the DVD player yesterday.
3 Somebody stole my CD player.
4 A lot of children love the new Japanese cartoon character.
5 The wind blew away the new poster.
6 The Beatles wrote the song in 1964.
My CD player was stolen.
The DVD player was repaired by Dad yesterday.
The painting was drawn by a French artist.
The new Japanese cartoon character is loved by a lot
of children.
The new poster was blown away by the wind.
The song was written by the Beatles in 1964.