The passive voice is commonly used in technical and scientific writing where impersonality is important. It is also used when reporting opinions without mentioning the source. There are several structures for forming the passive voice, including using "it" as the subject or omitting the agent. Certain verbs like "give" and "tell" can take two objects, and this structure changes in the passive. Verbs like "make" and "help" use the infinitive with "to" in passive constructions. The "have/get something done" structure describes when a service is performed for the subject. Some verbs are never used passively.

1. THE PASSIVE
form and use

2. The passive is common in technical and
scientific writing, and generally in
spoken and written contexts where
there is less use of personal reference,
since the audience may be unknown, or
the speaker wants to remain
Impersonal.

3. Passive reporting structures
With verbs such as believe, think, say, know, which report people’s
opinions, a passive construction is often used to give a generalized
opinion or not to mention the person whose words are being reported:
1. (present reference):
The criminal is thought to be in the London area /
It is thoght that the criminal is in the London area.
2. (past reference):
Sarah is said to have engagged with Tom last week /
It is said that Sarah gotengagged with Tom last week.

4. More on structures with impersonal IT
We can use the same pattern with IT when reporting
specific decisions or opinions:
It was decided that the meeting had to be cancelled.
(But also)
The meeting was decided to be cancelled.
cancelled
We can use any of these structures with verbs such as agree,
assume, argue, demostrate, …

5. Verbs with two objects
(active) Somebody gave the police the information.
(passive)
The police were given the information.
information
(but also)
The information was given TO the police.
police
Other verbs which can have two objects are:
Ask, offer, pay, show, teach, tell
Most often we begin with the personal object.
object

6. Verbs make, hear, see, help
In the active the structure is as follows:
Verb+ object+ infinitive without TO:
My sister made me cry a lot.
However, in the passive we use the infinitive
with TO:
TO
I was made to cry a lot.

7. Have / Get something done
This structure typically describes a service performed for us by
someone else:
I’ve just had/got my car repaired.
GET is often used in informal English.
English
This structure is also used to refer to something, usually
unpleasant or unexpected, done to the subject without
permission:
She had her passport stolen at the airport.

8. Final remarks
Verbs with no direct object
There are some verbs (intransitive): arrive, land, …
which are never used Certain verbs following this
structure:
in the passive: verb+ object + TO infinitive
(e.g.: want, refuse)
Certain verbs describing states, such
as have, be, belong, lack, resemble,
pretend and seem
HAVE + a noun to describe an action:
Have breakfast, have dinner, …
dinner