PASSIVE VOICE RULES AND PRACTICAL EXERCISES

PASSIVE VOICE EXPLANATION AND EXERCISES

1. PASSIVE VOICE

2. Thousands of tourists visit the Parthenon every year. Active Voice Verb Subject Object

3. The Parthenon is visited by thousands of tourists every year. Passive Voice Passive Verb Agent Subject

4. thing doing action + VERB + thing receiving action The professor teaches the students. (subject) (active verb) (object) (doing action)   (receiving action) ACTIVE VOICE In active sentences, the thing doing the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing receiving the action is the object. Most sentences are active. We use the active form of a verb to say what a subject does.

5. thing receiving action + BE + past participle of verb + by + thing doing action The students are taught by the professor. (subject) (passive verb) (agent) (receiving action)   (doing action) PASSIVE VOICE In the passive form, the thing receiving the action is the subject of the sentence and the thing doing the action is optionally included at the end of the sentence. We use the passive form to say what happens to the subject.

6. USE OF PASSIVE FORM We use the passive form of a verb when it is not important who does the action, or when we don't know who does it. The letter was delivered at 9 a.m. (The identity of the person who delivered the letter is unknown or unimportant.) The thief was arrested yesterday. (It is obvious that he was arrested by the police )  

7. If we want to say who does the action, we use ' by ': The letter was delivered by the postman.          If we want to say the material or the instrument somebody used to do the action, we use ‘ with ’: He was stabbed with a knife. The cake was made with oranges.

8. Only transitive verbs (those that take objects) can be transformed into passive constructions. Furthermore, active sentences containing certain verbs cannot be transformed into passive structures. To have is the most important of these verbs. We can say "He has a new car," but we cannot say "A new car is had by him." Here is a brief list of such verbs: resemble look like equal agree with mean contain hold have lack suit fit become

9. The passive form of verbs is formed of BE + the past participle.   THE VERB ‘TO BE’ Present Simple am/is/are Present Continuous am/is/are being Past Simple was/were Past Continuous was/were being Future Simple will be Future Perfect Simple will have been Present Perfect Simple have/has been Past Perfect Simple had been Am / Is / Are Going to am / is / are going to be Present Infinitive be Perfect Infinitive have been Present Gerund being

10. The Egyptians              built              the Pyramids.              Changing from Active to Passive The Pyramids              were built              by the Egyptians.             

11. IMPORTANT NOTES I: Never forget the prepositions which follow some verbs! Laura put up the curtains. The curtains were put up by Laura . While forming passive questions beginning with Who , Whom or Which, remember to write ‘by’ at the end! Who offered her the job? Who was she offered the job by ? The verb let is turned into be allowed to in the passive voice. She l et me put on her new coat. I was allowed to put on her new coat .

12. IMPORTANT NOTES II: When the verbs ‘hear, make, help, see’ are followed by gerund in the active voice, we use gerund in the passive voice, as well. We heard him playing the guitar. He was heard playing the guitar.   When the verbs ‘hear, make, help, see’ are followed by bare infinitive in the active voice, we use full infinitive in the passive voice, as well. They saw him cross the street. He was seen to cross the street.

13. VERBS WITH TWO OBJECTS: When a verb is followed by two objects, then we have two ways of writing the passive voice . Tom gave Susan some flowers . 1 2 1 : Susan was given some flowers by Tom. (More usual)   2: Some flowers were given to Susan by Tom.

14. PERSONAL - IMPERSONAL STRUCTURE   When we have the verbs believe , expect , feel , hope , know , report , say , think etc. there are two ways to write the passive voice: Active Voice: (1) People expect he will recover soon. (2) People thought the suspect had lied to the police. thing receiving action + BE + past participle of verb + To- infinitive +     He is expected to recover soon. The suspect was thought to have lied to the police. Personal Structure

15. Stonehenge …. (build) in prehistoric times. It … …. (construct) as a place of worship. Many of its stones … (steal) over the years. It …. (visit) by a lot of tourists every year. was built was constructed have been stolen is visited

16. Ms Archer’s ruby ring ………. (steal) from her house last night. was stolen Rolls Royce cars ……………. (make) in England. are made

17. Joan don’t let me drive her car. I am not allowed to drive Joan’s car.

18. The landlord offered the Ambassador a bottle of the finest champagne. The Ambassador was offered a bottle of the finest champagne by the landlord. The finest champagne was offered to the Ambassador by the landlord.

19. People expect scientists to find a cure for AIDS. It is expected that scientists will find a cure for AIDS. Scientsists are expected to find a cure for AIDS.