Passive voice
The passive sentences are made up of the 'to be with a past participle (to be + V3)':
- English is spoken all over the world
- The money is being transferred
- Our class has been cleaned
- This school house was built in 1999
- Lunch will be served soon
- They might have not been invited to his wedding party
If we want to show the person or thing doing the action we use by.
1. Present simple tense:
> I do my homework
You love me
We always bring dictionaries to the class
People learn English all over the world
Passive sentence: (S + to be (am, is, are) + V3 .. )
>> My homework is done by me
S to be V3
I am loved by you
Dictionaries are always brought by us to the class
English is learnt by people all over the world
2. Past simple
> I did my homework last night
You loved me
We didn't bring dictionaries to the class
Did people learn English?
Passive voice: (S + past to be + V3.. )
>> My homework was done by me last night
I was loved by you
Dictionaries weren't brought by us to the class
Was English learnt by people?
3. Present continuous
> Lisa is cooking my breakfast
I'm doing my school assignment right now
You and I are watching a new film
Passive voice: (S+to be+being+V3 .. )
>> My breakfast is being cooked (by Lisa)
My school assignment is being done (by me) right now
A new film is being watched (by us)
4. Past continuous
> When I was here a few years ago, they were building a new bridge.
(= It wasn't finished at that time)
Passive voice: (S+past to be+being+V3 ..)
>> When I was here a few years ago, a new bridge was being built.
5. Present perfect
> Look! They have painted the door.
These shirts are clean. Somebody has washed them.
Someone has taken my pen.
Passive voice: (S+have/has+been+V3 ..)
>> Look! The door has been painted.
These shirts are clean. They have been washed.
My pen has been taken.
6. Past perfect
> Ann said that somebody had stolen her car.
Passive voice: (S+had+been+V3 ..)
>> Ann said that her car had been stolen.
7. Will / Can / Must / Have to etc.
> Somebody will clean the office tomorrow.
Somebody must clean the office.
I think they'll invite you to the wedding party.
He can't repair my watch.
You should wash this sweater by hand.
They are going to build a modern flat.
Somebody has to wash these clothes.
They had to take the injured man to hospital.
Passive voice: (S+will/can/must/have to etc. +be+V3 ..)
>> The office will be cleaned tomorrow.
The office must be cleaned.
I think you'll be invited to the wedding party.
My watch can't be repaired.
This sweater should be washed by hand.
A modern flat is going to be built.
These clothes have to be washed.
The injured man had to be taken to hospital.
Have another look at PASSIVE VOICE changes:
Subject + to be (conjugated) + past participle + rest of sentence
Simple present
The room is cleaned every day.
Present continuous
The room is being cleaned at the moment.
Simple past
The room was cleaned yesterday.
Past continuous
The room was being cleaned last week.
Present perfect
The room has been cleaned since you left.
Past perfect
The room had been cleaned before they arrived.
Future
The room will be cleaned next week.
Future continuous
The room will be being cleaned tomorrow.
Present conditional
The room would be cleaned if they had visitors.
Past conditional
The room would have been cleaned if it had been dirty.
Inifinitive
The room must be cleaned before we arrive.
PASSIVE VOICE WITH INFINITIVES
The infinitive passive voice is used after modal verbs and other most verbs normally followed by an infinitive.
EXAMPLES:
You have to be tested on your English grammar.
Lisa might be promoted next year.
They don't want to be invited to the party.
I expect to be surprised on my birthday.
We may be disappointed.
PASSIVE VOICE WITH GERUNDS
Gerunds are used after prepositions and verbs normally followed by a gerund.
EXAMPLES
I remember being taught to swim.
The children are excited about being taken to the beach.
= The children are excited to be taken to the beach.
Some of film stars hate being interviewed.
= Some of film stars hate to be interviewed.
Panda likes to be pampered.
= Panda likes being pampered.
USING "TO BE BORN"
"To be born" is an passive form and is most commonly used in the past tense. However, in some cases, the present or future tense is appropriate.
EXAMPLES
I was born in 1999.
Where were you born?
Around 100 babies are born in this clinic every week.
We don't know on exactly which day the baby will be born.
Transitive verbs have both active and passive forms:
Active Passive
The tiger killed the mouse deer. >> The mouse deer was killed by the tiger.
Someone has mopped the floor >> The floor has been mopped
We sometimes use the verb 'get' to form the passive:
- Be careful with my heart. It might get broken.
- Ben got hurt when he was playing futsal
We can use the 'indirect object' as the subject of a passive verb:
active passive
I gave him a book for his birthday >> He was given a book for his birthday.
Someone sent her a cheque for a thousand pounds >> She was sent a cheque for a thousand pounds.
We can use 'phrasal verbs' in the passive:
active passive
They called off the meeting. >>The meeting was called off.
His grandmother looked after him. >> He was looked after by his grandmother.
They will send him away to school. >> He will be sent away to school.
Some verbs very frequently used in the passive are followed by the 'to-infinitive':
be supposed to be expected to be asked to
be scheduled to be allowed to be told to
active passive
I gave him a book for his birthday >> He was given a book for his birthday.
Someone sent her a cheque for a thousand pounds >> She was sent a cheque for a thousand pounds.
We can use 'phrasal verbs' in the passive:
active passive
They called off the meeting. >>The meeting was called off.
His grandmother looked after him. >> He was looked after by his grandmother.
They will send him away to school. >> He will be sent away to school.
Some verbs very frequently used in the passive are followed by the 'to-infinitive':
be supposed to be expected to be asked to
be scheduled to be allowed to be told to
- James has been asked to make a speech at the meeting.
- All students are supposed to wear a uniform.
- The meeting is scheduled to start at seven.
Passive voice in questions.
# How do we form questions in Passive voice?
_ Questions in Passive are formed with to be and the past participle *.
A. Passive voice in "Yes/No questions"
1. Was the book written in 1985? Yes, it was. / No, it wasn't.
;
Tense: Past simple
Form of to be: Was
Subject: the book written
past participle: written
Rest: in 1985?
Yes/No: Yes, it was.
No, it was not. / No, it wasn't.
2. Are your favourite colours worn today? Yes, they are. / No, they're not.
;
Tense: Present simple
Form of to be: Are
Subject: your favourite colours
past participle: worn
Rest: today?
Yes/No: Yes, they are.
No, they're not. (they aren't.)
B. Passive voice in "Question words questions"
1. When was the book written?
;
Tense: Past simple
Question word: When
Form of be: was
Subject: the book
past participle: written?
Rest:
Answer: the book was written in 1985
2. Why are your favourite colours worn today?
;
Tense: Present simple
Question word: Why
Form of be: are
Subject: your favourite colours
past participle: worn
Rest: today?
Answer: because it's my birthday.
3. Other tenses
Here are some more examples in other tenses. Let's start with the simple forms:
1. Has the lesson been taught?
;
Tense: Present Perfect
Auxiliary: Have / Has + been
Subject: the lesson
Verb: (past participle / V3) taught?
2. Had the lesson been taught?
;
Tense: Past Perfect
Auxiliary: Had + been
Subject: the lesson
Verb: (past participle / V3) taught?
3. Will the lesson be taught?
;
Tense: will-future
Auxiliary: shall / will + be
Subject: the lesson
Verb: (past participle / V3) taught?
4. Is the lesson going to be taught?
;
Tense: going to - future
Auxiliary: to be (am, is, are) + going to + be
Subject: the lesson
Verb: (past participle / V3) taught?
5. Will the lesson have been taught?
;
Tense: Future perfect
Auxiliary: shall / will + have + been
Subject: the lesson
Verb: (past participle / V3) taught?
6. Would the lesson be taught?
;
Tense: Conditional
Auxiliary: would + be
Subject: the lesson
Verb: (past participle / V3) taught?
7. Would the lesson have been taught?
;
Tense: Conditional perfect
Auxiliary: would + have + been
Subject: the lesson
Verb: (past participle / V3) taught?
And here are two progressive (continuous) forms:
1. Is the lesson being taught?
;
Tense: Present progressive
Auxiliary: to be (am, is, are) + being
Subject: the lesson
Verb: (past participle / V3) taught?
2. Was the lesson being taught?
;
Tense: Past progressive
Auxiliary: past to be (was, were) + being
Subject: the lesson
Verb: (past participle / V3) taught?
_ Questions in Passive are formed with to be and the past participle *.
A. Passive voice in "Yes/No questions"
1. Was the book written in 1985? Yes, it was. / No, it wasn't.
;
Tense: Past simple
Form of to be: Was
Subject: the book written
past participle: written
Rest: in 1985?
Yes/No: Yes, it was.
No, it was not. / No, it wasn't.
2. Are your favourite colours worn today? Yes, they are. / No, they're not.
;
Tense: Present simple
Form of to be: Are
Subject: your favourite colours
past participle: worn
Rest: today?
Yes/No: Yes, they are.
No, they're not. (they aren't.)
B. Passive voice in "Question words questions"
1. When was the book written?
;
Tense: Past simple
Question word: When
Form of be: was
Subject: the book
past participle: written?
Rest:
Answer: the book was written in 1985
2. Why are your favourite colours worn today?
;
Tense: Present simple
Question word: Why
Form of be: are
Subject: your favourite colours
past participle: worn
Rest: today?
Answer: because it's my birthday.
3. Other tenses
Here are some more examples in other tenses. Let's start with the simple forms:
1. Has the lesson been taught?
;
Tense: Present Perfect
Auxiliary: Have / Has + been
Subject: the lesson
Verb: (past participle / V3) taught?
2. Had the lesson been taught?
;
Tense: Past Perfect
Auxiliary: Had + been
Subject: the lesson
Verb: (past participle / V3) taught?
3. Will the lesson be taught?
;
Tense: will-future
Auxiliary: shall / will + be
Subject: the lesson
Verb: (past participle / V3) taught?
4. Is the lesson going to be taught?
;
Tense: going to - future
Auxiliary: to be (am, is, are) + going to + be
Subject: the lesson
Verb: (past participle / V3) taught?
5. Will the lesson have been taught?
;
Tense: Future perfect
Auxiliary: shall / will + have + been
Subject: the lesson
Verb: (past participle / V3) taught?
6. Would the lesson be taught?
;
Tense: Conditional
Auxiliary: would + be
Subject: the lesson
Verb: (past participle / V3) taught?
7. Would the lesson have been taught?
;
Tense: Conditional perfect
Auxiliary: would + have + been
Subject: the lesson
Verb: (past participle / V3) taught?
And here are two progressive (continuous) forms:
1. Is the lesson being taught?
;
Tense: Present progressive
Auxiliary: to be (am, is, are) + being
Subject: the lesson
Verb: (past participle / V3) taught?
2. Was the lesson being taught?
;
Tense: Past progressive
Auxiliary: past to be (was, were) + being
Subject: the lesson
Verb: (past participle / V3) taught?
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