PASSIVE VOICE

Primavera 2011
Verbs which take an object (transitive
verbs) can have a passive form
Active Voice
Tom writes a letter
Tom is writing a letter
Tom was writing a letter
Tom wrote a letter
Tom has written a letter
Tom had written a letter
Tom will write a letter
Tom is going to write a letter
Tom can write a letter
Tom could write a letter
Tom must write a letter
Tom may write a letter
Tom might write a letter
Passive Voice
A letter is written by Tom
A letter is being written by Tom
A letter was being written by Tom
A letter was written by Tom
A letter has been written by Tom
A letter had been written by Tom
A letter will be written by Tom
A letter is going to be written by Tom
A letter can be written by Tom
A letter could be written by Tom
A letter must be written by Tom
A letter may be written...
A letter might be written...
Verbs with two objects

Active Passive
O She handed me the O I was handed the
plate. plate.
O She handed the plate O The plate was
to me. handed to me.

O A dog is given to me
O Someone gives me a
dog O I am given a dog
Active patterns with verb + -ing

Active Passive
O I enjoyed taking the O The children enjoyed
children to the zoo. being taken to the
zoo.
Active pattern: Verb + object + -
ing

Active Passive
O They saw him O He was seen
climbing over the climbing over the
fence. fence.
active pattern: Verb + to infinitive +
object

Active Passive
O His colleagues O Tim started to be
started to respect respected (by his
Tim. colleagues).
Verb + object + to infinitive

Active Passive
O Mr Price taught Peter O Peter was taught to
to sing. sing (by Mr Price).
it + passive verb + that-clause
O It is reported that the finance minister is to
resign.
O It has been acknowledged that
underfunding is part of the problem.
O It can be seen that prices rose sharply in
September.
O It was agreed to postpone the meeting.
O It has been decided to build a road around
the village.
Active / Passive
O Everybody thinks Cathy works very hard.
O Cathy is thought to work very hard.
O It is thought that Cathy works very hard.

O They believe Tom is wearing a white pullover.

O Tom is believed to be wearing a white
pullover.
O It is believed that Tom is wearing a white
pullover.
 it + passive verb + that- subject + passive verb +
clause to-infinitive
O It was expected that O The damage was
the damage would be expected to be
extensive. extensive.
O It had been thought
O The chemicals had
that the chemicals
convey important been thought to convey
information to the important information
brain to the brain.