1. The passive voice is often used in newspaper reports, headlines, and academic writing. It is used when the subject receives the action rather than performs it. 2. To change a sentence from active to passive, the subject receives the action and it is formed using "to be" plus the past participle of the main verb. 3. The passive voice is used when the doer or agent is unknown, unimportant, impolite to specify, or to focus on the recipient of the action. It is commonly used in instructions, methods, and rules.

1. Passive
FORMS AND USE
Marijana Smolčec, prof.

2. Passive is very often
used in:
• newspaper reports or headlines
• academic writing
Can you understand the headline here?
What would be a correct sentences form of the
headline?
“Cameron is/has been/was accused as
troubled charity fails”
Full passive form
“Cameron accused as troubled charity fails”

3. Active and
Passive Voice
• The VOICE of a verb tells us if the Subject of
the sentence performs or receives the action.
The student wrote an article.
ACTIVE VOICE
Subject Verb Object
Subject performs an action = writing
An article was written by the student.
Subject receives the action – action is done to the subject
PASSIVE VOICE
"agent" or "doer" of action

4. Changing Active to Passive and form
People speak English.
S V O
____________
_
English is spoken (by people.)
to be + past participle of the verb

5. FORMING PASSIVE
Tense Passive voice form Active Voice form
Present Simple it is cleaned clean/cleans
Present Continuous it is being cleaned is cleaning
Past Simple it was cleaned cleaned
Past Continuous It was being cleaned was cleaning
Future Simple it will be cleaned will clean
Present perfect SImple it has been cleaned has/have cleaned
Past perfect Simple it had been cleaned had cleaned
Modals
it should/must/may/ can be
cleaned
Should/must/may/can
clean

6. FORMING PASSIVE
Tense Passive voice form Active Voice form
Infinitive It is to be cleaned
Gerund
The dog doesn't enjoy being
cleaned.

7. Adapted from https://www.voanews.com/science-health/coronavirus-outbreak/bankrupt-british-airline-latest-victim-coronavirus

8. Use the passive voice when:
• 1. you do not know who or what does something
My car was stolen last week. (= I do not know who did it)
• 2. you are not interested in who or what does something
• John has been invited to an anniversary party.
(= we are interested in John)
Call attention to receiver of the action rather than the
performer!

9. Use the passive voice when:
3. you do not want to say who or what does something
My dress is ruined! (= I do not want to accuse Mary, but it was
her who spilled red wine on me)
4. you are writing a research paper, mainly in in the section where you
describe your methods.
5. you want to be polite or more formal even in spoken language
Your job application will be assessed by the manager.

10. PASSIVE INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS*
• The passive infinitive form is used after modal verbs and
other structures as going to, have to, want to, would like to.
The door must be locked at all times.
This job cannot be done.
He is going to be interviewed tomorrow.
I don't want to be disturbed.

11. •
The passive -ing form is used to express a continuous
action.
I don't like being cheated.
He remembers being given the book

12. The passive with two objects
• Some verbs can have two objects and either object
can become the subject: it depends on the writer's focus.
He will be paid a lot of money for the new SF movie.
A lot of money will be paid to him for the new SF movie.
ACTIVE sentence:
They will pay him a lot of money for the new SF movie.
IO DO

13. Passive is very often
used in:
• Instructions and rules
• describing methods, ways of working
“The employes are paid monthly by cheque.”
“The doors are locked at 10:30 p.m.”
„Do not wash silk in the machine. Silk must be
washed by hand!”
„The plant needs to be watered daily.”

14. Passive and Active tense usage
• The rules and use we have for active tenses apply to their
equivalent passive voice.
I service my car every month. > Present Simple Active
My car is serviced every month. > Present Simple Passive

15. It’s your turn now!
Practice examples in your workbook and
liveworksheet