2. Passive voice is the form
of a verb that stresses
the action over the
subject.
Inglés Profesional 1
3. Active voice
Charles threw the garbage yesterday
1. The subject performs an action on the object
2. The action is described by the verb
Subject Verb Object complement
4. Passive voice: example
The garbage was thrown by Charles yesterday
1. The object is the main idea of the expression
2. The passive voice emphasizes the action of a sentence
and makes the subject secondary
3. The performer of the action is referred as a
complementary idea
Subject
Verb
Object complement
to be
5. Grammar
• In the passive voice, the subject is acted upon rather than
acting
• In the passive voice, the actual subject, the 'doer' of the
action, is either:
• Missing from the sentence
• The garbage was thrown yesterday
• The report was already presented
• Or appears in a prepositional phrase at the end of the
sentence
• The Nobel Price was won by Vargas Llosa
• The report was already presented by the department
6. Grammar tips
• Many academics think the passive voice is
unnecessary in most cases and can weaken the
content of a text
• You should avoid the passive voice for most writing
styles.
• It is wordier than the active voice (because it requires
a verb phrase), vaguer and, at its worst, deliberately
deceptive.
7. However
• Some fields, notably the sciences, require the passive
voice for the impersonal description of a process.
• The bottle was filled with 100 mL of sample
• When writing or speaking choose the voice most
appropriate for the audience.
• Newton discovered the Law of Gravitation
• The Law of gravitation was discovered by Newton
9. Make sentences in the passive in the given tense
• Technical books – print – in university (Present Simple)
• A lot of rice – eat – in Peru (Present Simple)
• Her new expensive necklace – buy – in Bonn (Past Simple)
• My laptop – format – at the moment (Present Continuous)
• Salsa songs – broadcast – since yesterday (Present perfect)
Salsa songs have been broadcasted since yesterday
A lot of rice is eaten in Peru
Her new expensive necklace was bought in Bonn
My laptop is being formatted at the moment
Technical books are printed in my university
10. Make sentences in the passive in the given tense
1. BMW’s – make – in Germany (Present Simple)
2. English – speak – in this shop (Present Simple)
3. The oldest house – build – in 1575 (Past Simple)
4. The bridge – repair – at the moment (Present Continuous)
5. The trees – cut down – last winter (Past Simple)
• BMW’s are made in Germany.
• English is spoken in this shop.
• The oldest house was built in 1575.
• The bridge is being repaired at the moment.
• The trees were cut down last winter.
11. Make sentences in the passive in the given tense
6. The picture – paint – tomorrow (Future Simple)
7. When I came in – the TV – fix (Past Continuous)
8. The cupboard – repair – recently (Present Perfect Simple)
9. The car – find – in the garage (Past Simple)
10. Breakfast – serve – between 7 and 9 (Present Simple)
The picture will be painted tomorrow.
When I came in , the TV was being fixed.
The cupboard has been repaired recently.
The car was found in the garage.
Breakfast is served between 7 and 9.
12. Make sentences in the passive in the given tense
11. The dog – call- Rover (Present Simple)
12. The meeting – hold – in my office (Past Continuous)
13. The street – close – because of snow (Present Perfect)
14. The banks – close – in two days (Future – Simple)
15. Hundreds of books – write – every year (Present
Simple)
The dog is called Rover
The meeting was being held in my office.
The street has been closed because of snow.
The banks will be closed in two days.
Hundreds of books are written every year.
13. Make sentences in the passive in the
given tense
16. After the accident–Joe –take–to the hospital (Past Simple)
17. The cap – find – in the corner (Past Simple)
18. The robber – not find – by the police – yet (Present Perfect)
19. The search – stop – this evening (Future Simple)
20. Different types of cameras – use (Present Continuous)
After the accident Joe was taken to the hospital.
The cap was found in the corner.
The robber has not been found by the police.
The search will be stopped this evening.
Different types of cameras are being used.
