• USE OF PASIVE VOICE
• Tenses changes
• Steps
• Transitive and intransitive verbs
• Practice
PASSIVE VOICE
USE :
We use passive voice when the object
of the action is more important than
those who perform the action.
EXAMPLE
verb Object
Engineers have designed many bridges
Many bridges have been designed by engineers
FROM ACTIVE TO PASSIVE: 3 STEPS
Active sentence: engineers design bridges.
Step 1
The object of the active sentence becomes
the subject of the passive sentence.
The bridges……
Step 2
We put verb ‘to be’ into the tense of the active
sentence:
Active: engineers design bridges. Present Simple
‘to be’ in present simple: am/are/is
The bridges are……
Step 3
We put the verb of the active sentence into the
past participle:
design designed
The bridges are designed
Additional step
If the agent (the performer of the action) is important,
use "by" :
John design the bridge. The bridge is designed by
John.
If the agent is: somebody, they, he, she… we do not use “by”.
He designed the buildings. The building were designed painted.
DOUBLE OBJECTS
give, send, bring, buy, tell, offer, show, pay, teach, etc
Object
1 Object 2
Active: Mary gives Tom a book.
Passive1: A book is given to Tom (by Mary).
Passive2: Tom is given a book (by Mary).
TENSES
Present Simple:
She finishes the project. The project is finished.
Present Continuous:
They are drawing the building. The building is being
drawn.
Present Perfect:
She has designed the building. The building has been
designed.
Past Simple:
they designed a house. The house was designed
Past Continuous:
He was constructing the building. The building was being
constructed
Past Perfect:
He had finished the project. The project had been finished.
Future Simple:
She will finish the project. The project will be eaten.
Going to Future:
She is going to finish the project. The project is going to
be finished.
IMPORTANT!
Pay attention to the number:
They are eating an apple.
An apple is being eaten.
He is eating apples.
Apples are being eaten.
REWRITE THE SENTENCES IN PASSIVE VOICE
1. John collects money. -
2. Anna opened the window. -
3. We have done our homework. -
4. I will ask a question. -
5. He can cut out the picture. -
6. The sheep ate a lot. -
7. We do not clean our rooms. -
8. William will not repair the car
1. They were interviewing her for the job.
She ________________ for the job.
was being interviewed
was interviewed
has been interviewed
2. Tom is writing the letter.
The letter ________________ by Tom.
was written
is being written
has been written
3. Everyone understands English.
English ________________ by everyone.
is understood
has been understood
was understood
4. The employees brought up this issue during the meeting.
This issue ________________ by the employees during the meeting.
has been brought up
is brought up
was brought up
5. The professor told him not to talk in class.
He ________________ by the professor not to talk in class.
has been told
was told
was being told
6. They say that women are smarter than men.
Women ________________ to be smarter than men.
were being said
were said
are said
Dear class ,
thank you for your attention
CHANGING INTERROGATIVE
SENTENCES INTO THE PASSIVE
Read the following sentences.
Active voice: Did she recognize you?
Passive voice: Were you recognized by her?
Active voice: Can anybody cure it?
Passive voice: Can it be cured (by anybody)?
Active voice: Who wrote this book?
Passive voice: By whom was this book written?
Active voice: Have you finished work?
Passive voice: Has the work been finished by you?
m.
Active voice: When will they announce the results?
Passive voice: When will the results be announced (by them)?
Notes
The primary auxiliary verbs do, does or did does not appear in the passive for
The verbs has, have, had, will, shall, can, may etc., do not change their position at the
beginning of the sentence when the active voice is changed to the passive voice.
Active voice: Have you invited them?
Passive voice: Have they been invited by you?
Active voice: Will you help him?
Passive voice: Will he be helped by you?
The question words when, why, where, how or what does not change their position at the
beginning of the sentence when the active voice is changed into the passive voice. Note
that who changes to by whom and whom into who.
What did he say? (Active Voice)
What was said by him? (Passive Voice)
Whom did you invite? (Active Voice)
Who was invited by you? (Passive Voice)
Intransitive Verbs
emerge inquire occur swim
agree collapse
appear cost evolve listen remain vanish
arrive depend exist laugh respond wake
become
die fall live rise wait
disappear
belong go look sit
dwell happen last sleep
