GRAMMAR:
PASSIVE VOICE
Petr Novotný
Gymnázium Dr. Karla Polesného Znojmo
GRAMMATICAL VOICE IN ENGLISH
The grammatical voice describes the relation
between the action (or state) that the verb
expresses and the involved participants
(subject, object, etc).
ACTIVE AND PASSIVE VOICE
If the subject is the doer (or agent) of the action of the
verb, the verb is in the active voice.
Eg: The cat chased the mouse.
subject
and
doer
If the subject, however, is the patient (or target) of the
action of the verb, the verb is in the passive voice.
Eg: The mouse was chased (by the cat).
subject
and
target
THE RELATION BETWEEN ACTIVE AND
PASIVE SENTENCE
Active voice:
The thief stole the money.
subject
and
doer (=agent)
object
and
patient
Passive voice:
The money was stolen (by the thief).
subject
and
patient
doer (=agent)
THE PASSIVE VERB PHRASE
The passive form of the verb phrase always contains
the pattern:
be
is
was
has been
will be
etc
+
past participle
+
invited
eaten
made
taken
etc
THE PASSIVE IN INDIVIDUAL TENSES
Tense
Example
Present simple
The bridge is painted.
The bridges are painted.
Past simple
The bridge was painted.
The bridges were painted.
Future simple
The bridge(s) will be painted.
Present perfect
The bridge has been painted.
The bridges have been painted.
Past perfect
The bridge(s) had been painted.
Future perfect
The bridge(s) will have been painted.
Present continuous
The bridge is being painted.
The bridges are being painted.
Past continuous
The bridge was being painted.
The bridges were being painted.
Going to future
The bridge is going to be painted.
The bridges are going to be painted.
Used to past
The bridge(s) used to be painted.
THE AGENT
In fact, most passive sentences have no agent phrase.
However, if the agent is important, we can put it at the
end of the clause after the preposition by.
subject + be + past participle + by + the agent
The visitors were welcomed by the president.
Examples:
The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci.
America was discovered by Christopher Columbus.
Romeo and Juliet was written by William Shakespeare.
PASSIVE WITH DOUBLE-TRANSITIVE VERBS
Some verbs take two objects – direct and indirect. Such
verbs are called double-transitive verbs.
Active voice:
John told my brother a story.
subject
and
doer
(=agent)
indirect
object
direct
object
Passive voice:
My brother was told a story (by John).
subject
doer
(=agent)
PREPOSITIONAL PASSIVES
The passive is not limited to cases where the object of an
active becomes subject. There are also passives, where
the noun phrase following a preposition becomes the
subject. We put the preposition at the end of the
clause.
Examples:
Active: They have sent for the doctor.
Passive: The doctor has been sent for.
Active: People are talking about the results.
Passive: The results are being talked about.
Active: They have done away with the tax.
Passive: The tax has been done away with.
EXERCISE [1]
Make the following sentences passive:
a) The police can't find the missing boy.
The missing boy can't be found.
b) Has anyone repaired the machine?
Has the machine been repaired?
c) They had to postpone the meeting.
The meeting had to be postponed.
d) They will open the shopping centre in two years.
The shopping centre will be opened in two years.
e) Someone is repairing the car.
The car is being repaired.
EXERCISE [2]
Make the following sentences passive, also express the agent:
a) Karl Benz made the first car in 1886.
The first car was made by Karl Benz in 1886.
b) Alcohol causes most traffic accidents.
Most traffic accidents are caused by alcohol.
c) Our teachers won't correct these tests.
These tests won't be corrected by our teachers.
d) This dog has bitten Jane.
Jane has been bitten by this dog.
e) Was Tom driving the car?
Was the car being driven by Tom?
EXERCISE [3]
Make the following sentences passive; use the word in bold as
subjects of the passive sentence:
a) They don't pay George very much.
George isn't paid very much.
b) They will give the results to Tom.
The results will be given to Tom.
c) They will give the results to Tom.
Tom will be given the results.
d) They have offered Lucy a new job.
A new job has been offered to Lucy.
e) They have offered Lucy a new job.
Lucy has been offered a new job.
EXERCISE [4]
Make the following sentences passive:
a) They called upon the President to make a speech.
The President was called upon to make a speech.
b) Someone has slept in this bed.
This bed has been slept in.
c) They are going to laugh at me.
I'm going to be laughed at.
d) They are looking after Emily.
Emily is being looked after.
e) They will talk about the event for years.
The event will be talked about for years.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Leech, G.: An A–Z of English Grammar and Usage.
London, Nelson English Language Teaching 1989.
Murphy, R.: English Grammar in Use. Cambridge,
Cambridge University Press 1991.
Wikipedia contributors. "Voice (grammar)." Wikipedia,
The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free
Encyclopedia, 6 Apr. 2014.