INTRODUCTION
The passive of an active tense is formed by putting the verb to be into the same tense as the
active verb and adding the past participle of the active verb. The subject of the active verb becomes
the agent of the passive verb. The agent is very often not mentioned. When it is mentioned it is
preceded by by and placed at the end of the clause.
3. When the action is more important than the agent, as in processes, instructions, events, reports,
headlines, new items, and advertisements.
30 people were killed in the earthquake.
4. To put emphasis on the agent.
The new library will be opened by the Queen.
AGENT
To say who did the action that we are talking about, i.e. to refer to the agent, we use the preposition
BY, and the name (by Peter), noun (by the teacher) or pronoun (by him) at the end of the sentence.
We usually only refer to the agent when it gives us some important information which otherwise would
be missing from the sentence.
ACTIVE TO PASSIVE
To change a sentence from the active voice to the passive voice:
The object of the active voice sentence becomes the subject of the passive voice sentence.
Agatha Christie wrote this book.
This book was written by Agatha Christie.
We change the main verb of the active voice sentence into the passive voice. The tense remains
unchanged.
The subject of the active voice sentence becomes the agent of the passive sentence. It is placed after
the past participle and it is preceded by the preposition by. Ex.: Agatha Christie wrote this book
this book was written by Agatha Christie.
IT+APASSIVEVOICEVERB+ATHATCLAUSE
We can use it + a passive voice verb + a that clause to avoid mentioning an agent. We use this
structure with past participles such as believed, confirmed, considered, estimated, feared, hoped,
known, mentioned, reported, said, andthought.
We can also use the subject of the active that clause as the subject of the passive sentence.
When we use have or get in a passive causative sentence, we do not use to with the past
participle.
Correct: He got his hair cut.
Incorrect: He got his hair to cut.
We can use the causative with modals and in all forms.
We use the normal rules to form negative statements, questions, and short answers.
FUNCTION
1. We use the passive form of the causative when we want to stress what was done and not who did it.
We do not use by + an agent when we dont know who did it, or when it is not important who did it.
She has her hair styled every week. I got the refrigerator fixed.
2. We use by + an agent when it is important to mention the person doing the service.
She has her hair styled by Lorenzo. (The speaker wants to mention the agent, Lorenzo.)
I must get my suit cleaned this week. (The speaker is not interested in mentioning the agent.)
3. We use the causative with have when something unpleasant or unexpected happens to someone.
We had our passports stolen when we went on vacation
ADAPTED FROM: Cambridge. Org:
http://www.cambridge.org/servlet/file/Grammar_Form_and_Function_L3_Unit8.pdf?ITEM_ENT_ID=7412688
ADAPTED FROM: Evans, V. (1995). Round-Up (English Grammar Practice). London: Longman.
2. Change the following sentences into passive sentences using the words in brackets.
1) We sell tickets for all shows at the Box Office. (Tickets for all shows/sell/at the Box
Office)
2) Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb. (The electric light bulb/invent/by Thomas
Edison)
ADAPTED FROM: Evans, V. (1995). Round-Up (English Grammar Practice). London: Longman.
3. Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice.
ADAPTED FROM: Evans, V. (1995). Round-Up (English Grammar Practice). London: Longman.
4. Rewrite the following passages in the Passive.
Somebody has stolen a bus from outside the school. Some children saw the thief. The police are
searching for the bus now. They will use the childrens descriptions to catch the thief.
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Some people saw a UFO in the sky above London last night. They reported it to the police.
The army sent a helicopter to look at it more closely. The UFO shot the helicopter down and
killed both men in it. People have given photographs of the UFO to the police. Experts are
looking at them now.
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ADAPTED FROM: Evans, V. (1995). Round-Up (English Grammar Practice). London: Longman
5. Turn from Active to Passive in two ways.
1) He gave me a present.
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ADAPTED FROM: Evans, V. (1995). Round-Up (English Grammar Practice). London: Longman
6. Find or make up three newspaper headlines. Ask a partner or the class to make a passive sentence
from each. Discuss: Can we write all headlines in the passive voice?
Example:
HEADLINE: Local Student Chosen for Big Scholarship
PASSIVE VOICE SENTENCE: A local student has been chosen for a big scholarship.
1)
2)
3)
1) We know that fruits and vegetables are important for our health.
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2)Many doctors think that some fruits and grains can help to prevent cancer.
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3) People say that fruit improves your immune system.
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4) We believe that nuts help to lower cholesterol.
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5) Dentists know eating a lot of sugar can be bad for our teeth.
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6) We believe that calcium builds strong bones and teeth
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