2. USE OF THE PASSIVE
VOICE
A passive sentence is the opposite of an active one.
In an active sentence, the subject comes first. On
the other hand, in a passive sentence, the focus is
on the action or thing acted on, while the subject is
added at the end.
The passive voice can be used when the actor is
unknown or irrelevant, when you want to be vague
about the subject, when you talk about a general
truth, or if the person or thing acted on is the main
topic and you want to emphasize it.
3. FORM OF THE PASSIVE VERB
The general rule to form a passive sentence is:
subject + finite form of to be + past participle
Examples:
The dinner is made by him.
The book is written by her.
The game is played by them.
4. EXAMPLES OF PASSIVE
VERBS Present Simple:
I play football. -> Football is played by me.
Past Simple:
I played football. -> Football was played by me.
Past Perfect Simple:
I had played football. -> Football had been played by me.
Future (will):
I will play football. -> Football will be played by me.
Future (going to):
I'm going to play football. -> Football is going to be played by me.
Modal verb (must):
I must play football. -> Football must be played by me.
Modal verb (can):
I can play football. -> Football can be played by me.
Modal verb (should):
I should play football. -> Football should be played by me.
5. ACTIVE TO PASSIVE
TRANSFORMATION
For rewrite an active sentence with two objects
in passive form, one of the objects has to
become the subject, while the other remains an
object. Usually, the object of the active sentence
becomes the subject of the passive sentence,
and the subject becomes the object, or is
dropped.
The form of the verb is changed too, following
the general rule of the passive form.
6. ACTIVE TO PASSIVE
• My mother sent me a message.
A message was sent to me by my mother.
• I will read the book.
The book will be read by me.
• She painted the picture.
The picture was painted by
• They fixed the computer.
The computer was fixed by them.
• She likes chocolate.
Chocolate is liked by her.
