TOEIC Grammar GLOBAL EDUCATION VIETNAM

www.globaledu.com.vn

Passive Voice

1. Introduction

When we say what happens to people and things - what is done to them - we often use passive verb forms.

Example:

 I was given an interesting book in my birthday by Jane.

 Several new proposals are being considered by the committee.

2. Passive verb forms (Hình thức bị động của động từ)

Verb forms Active Passive

Present simple She cleans the house everyday. The house is cleaned everyday.

Present The committee is considering several new Several new proposals are being
continuous proposals. considered by the committee.

Present perfect The company has ordered some new Some new equipment has been
equipment. ordered by the company.
1
Simple past Tim Wilson wrote "The Flight to The Flight to Brunnswick" was written
Brunnswick" in 1987. in 1987 by Tim Wilson.

Past continuous They were painting the house when I The house was being painted when I
arrived. arrived.

Past perfect John had written a letter. A letter had been written by John.

Future I will finish it tomorrow. It will be finished tomorrow.

Future continuous John will be training the bear for the royal The bear will be being trained by
show. John for the royal show.

Future perfect They will have elected him their leader. He will have been elected their leader

Future intention They are going to build a new factory in A new factory is going to be built in
with ‘going to’ Portland. Portland.

Present We would clean the house if they had The house would be cleaned if they
conditional visitors. had visitors.

Sponsored by:
 TOEIC Grammar GLOBAL EDUCATION VIETNAM
www.globaledu.com.vn

Past conditional She would have cleaned the house if it The house would have been cleaned
had been dirty. if it had been dirty.

Modal Verbs She has to do her work by tomorrow or Her work has to be done by tomorrow
she’ll get in trouble with her boss. or she'll get in trouble with her boss.

Note: Verbs not used in the passive (Động từ không dùng ở dạng bị động)

Not all verbs can have passive forms. Passive structures are not possible with intransitive verbs (nội động từ)
like die, cry or arrive, which cannot have objects.

 He died yesterday. (passive)

 The baby cried aloud. (passive)

Some transitive verbs (ngoại động từ), too, are seldom used in the passive. Most of these verbs refer to
states (trạng thái, tình trạng), not actions (hành động). Examples are: have, lack, resemble, suit etc.

 I have a house in the city. (BUT NOT A house is had by me.)

 My shirt doesn't fit me. (BUT NOT I am not fitted by my shirt.)

 You lack tact. (BUT NOT Tact is lacked by you.)

 She resembles an angel. (BUT NOT An angel is resembled by her.)

Some prepositional verbs (động từ có giới từ theo sau) are mainly used in the active. Examples are: walk 2
into, agree with.

 We walked into the room. (BUT NOT The room was walked into by us.)

 She agreed with me. (BUT NOT I was agreed with by her.)

3. Passives: Agents (tác nhân)

In most cases, the subject of an active verb (chủ ngữ của câu chủ động - the agent) is not mentioned in the
corresponding passive sentence. If it does have to be mentioned, we usually use an expression with by.

 They gave me a warm welcome. (active)

I was given a warm welcome by them. (passive)

 Children love toys. (active)

Toys are loved by children. (passive)

 They built this house. (active)

This house was built by them. (passive)

 Her attitude shocked me. (active)

I was shocked by her attitude. (passive)

Sponsored by:
 TOEIC Grammar GLOBAL EDUCATION VIETNAM
www.globaledu.com.vn

It should be noted that by is not the only word with which the agent can be introduced. After the past
participles of some 'stative’ verbs (verbs which refer to states, not actions) other prepositions can be used
instead of by.

 The state of his health worries me. (active)

 I am worried about the state of his health. (passive)

 Snakes scare me. (active)

 I am scared of snakes. (passive)

With is used when we talk about an instrument (dụng cụ) which is used by an agent to do an action.

 He killed the snake with a stick. (active)

 The snake was killed (by him) with a stick. (passive)

4. Passives: Verbs with two objects (Động từ có hai tân ngữ)

Many verbs can be followed by two objects – an indirect object (tân ngữ gián tiếp) and a direct object
(tân ngữ trực tiếp). The indirect object usually refers to a person and the direct object usually refers to a
thing. Two structures are possible.

 She gave me (indirect object) a nice gift (direct object).

 She gave a nice gift (direct object) to me (indirect object).

Both these structures can be made passive. 3

 I was given a nice gift (by her). (Indirect object becomes subject.)

 A nice gift was given to me (by her). (Direct object becomes subject.)

Another example is given below.

 They lent me (indirect object) ten thousands pounds (direct object).

I was lent ten thousand pounds. (passive)

Ten thousand pounds were lent to me. (passive)

Common verbs that are followed by two objects include give, send, show, lend, pay, promise, refuse, tell
and offer.

5. Passives: Verbs with object + infinitive (Câu với động từ nguyên thể và mệnh đề làm tân ngữ)

Most verbs can be followed by object + infinitive. Most of these structures can be made passive.

 I told them to behave. (active)

They were told to behave. (passive)

 I asked him to send me a letter. (active)

He was asked to send me a letter. (passive)

 They thought him to be a traitor. (active)

Sponsored by:
 TOEIC Grammar GLOBAL EDUCATION VIETNAM
www.globaledu.com.vn

He was thought to be a traitor. (passive)

Note: All active verbs cannot be followed by object + infinitive. The verb say is one of them. With say the
infinitive structure is only possible in the passive.

 Their marriage is said to be in trouble. (BUT NOT People say their marriage to be in trouble.)

6. Passives: object complements (Bổ ngữ cho tân ngữ)

After some verbs the direct object can be followed by an object complement (bổ ngữ cho tân ngữ) – a noun
or adjective which describes or classifies the object (danh từ hoặc tính từ dùng để bổ nghĩa cho tân ngữ).

Example:

 They elected him their leader.

 The other children called her stupid.

 We all regarded her as an expert.

 Queen Victoria considered him a genius.

When these clauses are made passive, these objects complements become subject complements; they come
after the verb.

Example:

 He was elected their leader.

 She was called stupid by the other children. 4

 She was regarded as an expert.

 He was considered a genius by Queen Victoria.

7. Sentence with “It is said that ….”, “He is said that ….’

Example:

 It is said that you’ve just built a large house. = You’re said to have built a large house. (Người ta nói
anh mới vừa xây một căn nhà rộng lắm.)

 It is said that he’s very old. = He’s said to be very old. (Người ta nói ông ta già lắm rồi.)

We can use this sentences with verbs like: agree, announce, argue, believe, claim, decide, disclose,
expect, feel, hope, know, predict, recognize, report, say, suggest, think, understand

Example:

 It is said that Henry eats ten eggs a day. (= Henry is said to eat ten eggs a day.) (Người ta nói rằng
mỗi ngày Henry ăn mười quả trứng)

 It is believed that the wanted man is living in New York. (= The wanted man is believed to be living in
New York.) (Người ta nói rằng kẻ bị truy nã đang sống ở New York)

Sponsored by:
 TOEIC Grammar GLOBAL EDUCATION VIETNAM
www.globaledu.com.vn

 It is expected that the strike will begin tomorrow. (= The strike is expected to begin tomorrow.) (Người
ta cho rằng cuộc đình công sẽ bắt đầu vào ngày mai).

 It is alleged to have stolen $60. (= He is alleged that he stolen $60). (Người ta đã cho rằng anh ta đã
lấy cắp 60 bảng).

8. Have/get something done:

This construction is passive in meaning. It may describe situations where we want someone else to do
something for us (diễn tả ý ‘nhờ ai làm việc gì’)

Example:

 I must get / have my hair cut. (Tôi phải đi cắt tóc).

 When are you going to get that window mended? (Bạn định khi nào cho sửa cửa sổ vậy?).

 We're having the house painted. (Chúng tôi đang cho sơn nhà.)

If the verb refers to something negative or unwanted, it has the same meaning as a passive sentence:

 Jim had his car stolen last night. (= Jim's car was stolen) (Jim bị mất xe tối qua).

 They had their roof blown off in the storm. (= Their roof was blown off in the storm) (Mái nhà của họ
bị bão thổi tung).

The construction can refer to the completion of an activity, especially if a time expression is used:

 We'll get the work done as soon as possible. (Chúng tôi sẽ hoàn thành công việc nhanh nhất có thể). 5

 I'll get those letters typed before lunchtime. (Tôi sẽ đánh máy những lá thư đó trước giờ ăn trưa.)

9. Need + -ing

We can sometimes use need + Ving as an alternative to the passive to say that it is necessary to do something
without stating who will do it:

 The ceiling needs painting (= the ceiling needs to be painted).

 My hair needs cutting (= my hair needs to be cut).

 Some facilities need improving around the campus. (= it is necessary to improve some facilities).

Sponsored by: