English Grammar

1. Passive voice

2. Meaning
Passive voice is a voice that indicates that
the subject is the patient or recipient of the
action denoted by the verb.

3. Form
The pasive of an active tense is formed by putting
the verb to be into the same tense as the active verb
and adding the past participle of the active verb.
The subject of the active verb becomes ‘agent’ of the
passive verb. The agent is very often mentioned.
When it is mentioned it is preceded by by and
placed at the end of the clause

4. When do we use passive voice?
• When we want to change the focus of the sentence
• When who or what causes the action is unknown or
unimportant or obvious or 'people in general‘
• In factual or scientific writing
• In formal writing instead of using someone/ people/
they (these can be used in speaking or informal
writing)
• In order to put the new information at the end of
the sentence to improve style
• When the subject is very long

5. How to make a passive:
To make a passive sentence you need to start
with object first and then use the be form of
the verb (depending on the tense) and then
add a past participle. If we want to say who or
what performs the action, we use the
preposition by:
object + be + past participle + by

6. Present tense
Structure :
Subject + to be (is, am, are) + past participle
Past tense
Structure :
Subject + to be (was, were) + past participle

7. Simple Future:
Structure :
Subject + will be + past participle
Example of Present Perfect:
Structure :
Subject + have/has been + past participle

8. Past Perfect
Structure :
Subject + had been + past participle
Past Perfect Continuous
Structure :
Subject + had been being + past participle

9. Example of Future Continuous (Will):
Structure :
Subject + will be being + past participle
Example of Future Continuous (Going to):
Structure :
Subject + to be (is, am, are) + going to be being + past
participle

10. Example with Modal Verb:
Structure :
Subject + modal verb + be + past participle

11. - object of the "active" sentence becomes subject in
the "passive" sentence
- subject of the "active" sentence becomes "object" in
the "passive" sentence" (or is left out)
ctive eter buil s a house
assive house is built b eter
Changes in the sentence:

12. Passive with get
• The wor “get” is sometimes use instea of be to form the
passive. In such cases, get indicates a change in status or
condition.
• Examples :
I got sick after eating the red meat
They will get married tomorrow
He got killed in the accident

13. Some verbs cannot be used in passive
form
• Come example :
• Die John came to the meeting
• Go John was come to the meeting (incorrect)
• Happen
• Itch
• Occur
• Rain
• Rise
• Walk

14. 1. Active: Anne writes a letter.
Passive: A letter is written by Anne.
2. Active: Anne wrote a letter.
Passive: A letter was written by Anne.
3. Active: Anne has written a letter.
Passive: A letter has been written by Anne.
4. Active: Anne will write a letter.
Passive: A letter will be written by Anne.
5. Active: Anne has to write a letter.
Passive: A letter has to be written by Anne.
5 Examples:

15. Exercises
Make passive sentence!
1) the picture / draw (Simple Present)
2) the door / close (Simple Past)
3) the window / break (Simple future)
4) the house / steal (Present Continuous)
5) the bike / repair (Past Continuous)
6) the room/ clean (Present Perfect)
7) the homework / do (Past perfect)

16. 1) the picture / draw (Simple Present)  The picture is drawn
2) the door / close (Simple Past)  The door was closed
3) the window / break (Simple future)  The window will be broken
4) the house / steal (Present Continuous)  The house is being stolen
5) the bike / repair (Past Continuous)  The bike was being repaired
6) the room/ clean (Present Perfect)  The room has been cleaned
7) the homework / do (Past perfect)  The homework had been done
Answers

17. Thank You :*