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Passive voice

The document discusses the use and structure of passive voice in English. It explains that the passive voice is used when the focus is on the action rather than the subject performing the action. It provides examples of changing sentences from active to passive voice and discusses omitting or including the agent. It also covers verbs with two objects, verbs used with prepositions, the passive with reporting verbs, and identifying active vs. passive voice in context.

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Intermediate Passive voice
USE  The PASSIVE VOICE is used when the focus of attention is on the action.  We only use the passive when we are interested in the object or when we do not know who caused the action. My bike was stolen The focus is on the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not know, however, who did it.
VERB STRUCTURE BE + PAST PARTICIPLE  Architects design buildings. Buildings ____________ by architects.  Spielberg directed the film “ET”. “ET” _____________ by Spielberg. In the same tense as the main verb in the active sentence. are designed was directed
Coldplay wrote the song “Viva la vida”. The song “Viva la vida”. was written by Coldplay Subject Agent Verb be + past participle Direct Object Subject Changes from active to passive
Verb tenses tense active passive Present simple Peter builds houses Past simple Peter built a house last year Present perfect Peter has built many houses Past perfect Peter had built a house Will-future Peter will build a house Going to-future Peter is going to build a house Modal verbs Peter might build a new house Houses are built by Peter A house was built by Peter last year Many houses have been built by Peter A house had been built by Peter A house will be built by Peter A house is going to be built by Peter A new house might be built by Peter
 Sometimes GET is used instead of BE with a passive meaning, which makes the sentence more informal. He gets paid every week They are going to get married next week He got stuck in a traffic jam yesterday
Let’s practise! Change from active to passive
Three cats were rescued by Julia Julia rescued three cats
The DVD recorder has not been repaired by the mechanic The mechanic has not repaired the DVD recorder
Beachball can be played on that beach by them. They can play beachball on that beach
THE AGENT  The subject of the active sentence becomes the AGENT of the passive sentence. But we only use it when it introduces important information.  We omit BY + AGENT: 1) when the agent is unknown. 2) when the agent is not very important or it’s too obvious. 3) if we do not want to name the agent. The criminal has just been arrested by the police.
Three cats were rescued by Julia Julia rescued three cats Is the agent needed here
The DVD recorder has not been repaired (by the mechanic) (The agent seems too obvious to be mentioned, so in this case it could be omitted; The mechanic has not repaired the DVD recorder Is the agent needed here
Beachball can be played on that beach. (We don’t know exactly who they are and the important thing is that beachball is allowed on the beach) They can play beachball on that beach Is the agent needed here
VERBS WITH TWO OBJECTS  Some sentences have two objects: DIRECT and INDIRECT OBJECT. Most of the times, it is more common to use the INDIRECT OBJECT as a SUBJECT. Subject They Verb showed IO me DO their last album. I Subject was shown Verb their last album DO (BY them). Agent
VERBS WITH TWO OBJECTS  However, sometimes we prefer to emphasize the DIRECT OBJECT. Subject They Verb sent IO me DO a mysterious letter. to me IO was sent Verb A mysterious letter Subject (BY them). Agent
Let’s have some more practice!
English is not spoken here They don’t speak English here
 Tom was being prepared his breakfast  Breakfast was being prepared for Tom The waiter was preparing breakfastf for Tom
 I have been sent a text message by Michael  A text message has been sent to me by Michael Michael has sent me a text message
 The students were told a hilarious joke by their teacher  A hilarious joke was told to them by the teacher The teacher told them a hilarious joke
 Your eyes should be kept wide open You should keep your eyes wide open; there are lots of pickpockets around!
Verbs with prepositions in the passive  When we put an active sentence into passive and a preposition follows after the verb (e.g. break into, look after), the preposition remains immediately after the verb. active passive Someone broke into the pet shop The pet shop was broken into She could look after our cat The police are looking into the crime Our cat could be looked after The crime is being looked into
Remember … HAVE / GET something DONE is a passive structure You use it when you want to indicate that you paid someone to do something for you: They had their house painted blue. (Professional house painters did the work.)
THE PASSIVE WITH REPORTING VERBS  We can use the passive to report feelings and beliefs.  Reporting verbs commonly used: accept, believe, expect, hope, know, say, think, understand. It is known that many pop singers come from England. (People know that many pop singers come from England) It was thought that he had started the fire (People thought that he had started the fire) It + passive reporting verb + that + sentence
They are opening new restaurants every day New restaurants are being opened every day
The concept of “fast food” has changed human behaviour Human behaviour has been changed by the concept of “fast food”.
They teach the staff at the McDonald’s university. Staff are taught at the McDonald’s university
Fast food destroyed the “golden age” of family mealtimes. The “golden age” of family mealtimes was destroyed by fast food
In Japan people had regarded eating standing up as bad manners. In Japan, eating standing up had been regarded as bad manners
People will never forget Richard McDonald Richard McDonald will never be forgotten
We can’t ignore the effect of fast food on our lives The effect of fast food on our lives can’t be ignored
They have spread the American model around the world The American model has been spread around the world
They told me the film was good I was told the film was good
Her mother taught her how to cook She was taught how to cook by her mother
His boss offered him more money He was offered more money by his boss
They promised me they would finish the work today I was promised that they would finish the work today
Someone in the street gave us free tickets for a concert We were given free tickets for a concert in the street
They asked him to make a speech at the wedding He was asked to make a speech at the wedding
ACTIVE or PASSIVE? Active Form  [DOER] + [verb] + [RECEIVER] John does the washing up every day Passive Form  [RECEIVER] + [be] + [past participle] + [by] + [DOER] The washing up is done by John every day
Active or passive
Everybody _____ (shock) by the news a few years ago
was shocked Active: The news shocked everybody a few years ago Everybody _____ (shock) by the news a few years ago
has been teaching The sentence cannot be changed into the passive as there are no direct or indirect objects Mr. Green _____ (teach) at the University since 1989.
Mr. Green _____ (teach) at the University since 1989.
A new book ______ (publish) by that company next year
will be published Active: The company will publish a new book next year A new book ______ (publish) by that company next year
He ___ (not remember) the girl's name now
doesn’t remember Passive:The girl’s name is not remembered by him now He ___ (not remember) the girl's name now
A prize ___ (give) to whoever solves this equation
will be given Another Passive: Whoever solves this equation will be given a prize Active: They will give a prize to whoever solves this equation A prize ___ (give) to whoever solves this equation
When the tourists arrived, the problem _______ (solve)
had been solved Active: When the tourists arrived, they had already solved the problem. When the tourists arrived, the problem _______ (solve)
They _______ (make) these tools of plastic
make Passive: These tools are made of plastic They _______ (make) these tools of plastic
But these ones ______ (make) of iron
are made Active: But they make these ones of iron But these ones ______ (make) of iron
Dinner______ (cook) when I arrived
was being cooked / was cooked / had been cooked Active: He was cooking /cooked / had cooked dinner when I arrived Dinner______ (cook) when I arrived
Those dresses____ (only/can/wash) in cold water
can only be washed Active: You can only wash those dresses in cold water Those dresses____ (only/can/wash) in cold water
Active or passive in context…
 The marks of the students … (discuss) every month and if their parents ….. (have) any questions they can contact the teachers. are discussed have
 This program …(start) 3 years ago. Many students …(already/use) it and they are completely satisfied with the results that … (achieve). started have already used have been achieved
 An interesting documentary …..…. (show) on TV now. Come and listen! They …. (just/say) that a new vaccine against AIDS …… (already/find) and that soon they ….(complete) the trials. is being showed have just said has already been found will complete
 Mary …(have) her math lesson twice a week. Last week when she ... (go) to see her tutor, she …(see) a note that her tutor … (leave) there informing that the lesson ….. (cancel). has saw went had left had been cancelled
 No information …(receive) yet. We hope that when Alfred …. (come) he …. (tell) us some news. comes has been received will tell
Passive voice