2. WHAT IS PASSIVE VOICE?
In active sentence, the person or thing
responsible for the action in the
sentence comes first. In a passive
sentence, the person or thing acted on
comes first, and the actor is added at
the end, introduced with the
preposition “by”.
3. WHEN DO I USE PASSIVE VOICE?
In some sentences, passive voice can be perfectly
acceptable. You might use it in the following cases:
- The actor is unknown.
- The actor is irrelevant.
- You want to be vague about who is responsible.
- You are talking about a generat truth.
- You want to emphatise the person or thing acted
on.
- You are writing in a scientific genre that
traditionally relies on passive voice.
4. FORM OF PASSIVE
Subject + finite form of to be + Past
Participle (3rd column of irregular
verbs)
Example:
The TV was seen
5. When rewriting active sentences in passive
voice, note the following:
- The object of the active sentence becomes
the subject of the passive sentence.
- The finite form of the verb is changed(to be
+ past participle.)
- The subject of the active sentence becomes
the object of the passive sentence (or is
dropped)
7. PRESENT SIMPLE
Antonio sees the TV.
The TV is seen by Antonio.
PAST SIMPLE
Antonio saw the TV.
The TV was seen by Antonio.
PRESENT PERFECT
Antonio has seen the TV.
The TV has been seen by Antonio.
8. PAST PERFECT
Antonio had seen the TV.
The TV had been seen by Antonio.
FUTURE
Antonio will see the TV.
The TV will be seen by Antonio.
GOING TO FUTURE
Antonio is going to see the TV.
The TV is going to be seen by Antonio.
9. MUST
Antonio must see the TV.
The TV must be seen by Antonio.
CAN
Antonio can see the TV.
The TV can be seen by Antonio.
SHOULD
Antonio should see the TV.
The TV should be seen by Antonio.
10. PASSIVE SENTENCES WITH
TWO OBJECTS
Rewriting an active sentence with two
objects in passive voice means that one of
the two objects becomes the subject, the
other one remains an object. Which object
to transform into a subject depends on
what you want to put the focus on.
Antonio sent a letter to me.
A letter was sent to me by Antonio.
I was sent a letter by Antonio.
14. He writes a book.
A book is written by him.
My father built our house.
Our house was built by my father.
The housekeeper will clean the room.
The room will be cleaned by the house keeper.
Tom is going to write a letter.
A letter is going to be written by Tom.
Tom has written a letter.
A letter has been written by Tom.
