This document discusses the passive voice in English. It begins by explaining the difference between active and passive voice, noting that the passive voice rearranges elements of a sentence by moving the recipient of the action to the subject position. It then provides examples of forming the passive voice by using the verb "to be" plus the past participle of the main verb. Finally, it notes that the passive voice can only be used with transitive verbs, which take an object, and not with intransitive verbs, which do not take an object.

1. CHAPTER 11: THE PASSIVE VOICE
Writing 5

2. FIRST: ACTIVE VOICE
 The child washes the dishes.
subject verb object
 We are learning English.
subject verb object
 The boy has kicked the ball.
subject verb object

3. PARTS OF THE SENTENCE
 The child washes the dishes.
S V O
What’s the
action?
wash
Who does
the action? What
“gets” the
action?
The child the dishes
We’ll call
this the
receive
r.
We’ll call
this the
agent.

4. FORMING THE PASSIVE
 How do I make passive verbs?
Passive Form = be + past
participle
This can be any verb tense! Present, past, future, perfect…

5.  The child washes the dishes.
(agent) (action, active voice) (receiver)
Subject verb object
subject verb
 The dishes are washed by the child.
FORMING THE PASSIVE
The
dishes
(receiver)
are washed
(action, passive voice)
by the child.
(agent)

6. TRANSITIVE VERBS
 The passive voice can only be used with
transitive verbs.
 These are verbs that have an object.
We can’t find the answers.
(subject) (verb) (object)
James didn’t enjoy the party.
(subject) (verb) (object)
The Marlins have built a house.
(subject) (verb) (object)

7. INTRANSITIVE VERBS
 It is not possible to make passive voice with
intransitive verbs.
 These verbs CANNOT have an object.
ACTIVE: We agree.
(subject) (verb) (no object)
PASSIVE: Ø
 More examples of intransitive verbs: p. 439
agree
arrive
go
happen
occur
die
sleep
walk
These verbs
CANNOT be
passive
voice.