Active, Passive Voice

Active Voice, Passive Voice
Construction of the Passive Voice
There are two special forms for verbs called voice:
The structure of the passive voice is very simple:
1. Active voice
2. Passive voice
subject + auxiliary verb (be) + main verb (past participle)
The active voice is the "normal" voice. This is the voice that we use most of the
time. You are probably already familiar with the active voice. In the active voice, the
object receives the action of the verb:
active subject ver
b
Cats
eat
object
>
fish.
The passive voice is less usual. In the passive voice, the subject receives the
action of the verb:
passive subject verb
object
<
Fish
are eaten by cats.
The object of the active verb becomes the subject of the passive verb:
subject
verb
object
active
Everybody drinks
water.
passive Water
is drunk by everybody.
Passive Voice
The passive voice is less usual than the active voice. The active voice is the
"normal" voice. But sometimes we need the passive voice. In this lesson we look at
how to construct the passive voice, when to use it and how to conjugate it.
The main verb is always in its past participle form.

Look at these examples:
subject
Water
100
people
I
We
Are
auxiliary verb (to

be)
is
are
am
are
they
main verb (past

participle)
drunk
employed
by everyone.
by this
company.
in euro.
in dollars.
in yen?
paid
not paid
paid
Use of the Passive Voice

We use the passive when:
we want to make the active object more important
we do not know the active subject

subject
give importance
President Kenned
to active object
y
(President
Kennedy)
active subject
My wallet
unknown
verb
was killed
object
by Lee Harvey Oswald.
has been stolen

.
Note that we always use by to introduce the passive object (Fish are eaten by
cats).
1
Look at this sentence: He was killed with a gun. Normally we use by to introduce
the passive object. But the gun is not the active subject. The gun did not kill him. He
was killed by somebody with a gun. In the active voice, it would be: Somebody killed
him with a gun. The gun is the instrument. Somebody is the "agent" or "doer".
Active or Passive Quiz

1
I ate a piece of chocolate cake.
The librarian read the book to the students.
Conjugation for the Passive Voice: We can form the passive in any tense. In fact,
conjugation of verbs in the passive tense is rather easy, as the main verb is
always in past participle form and the auxiliary verb is always be. To form the
required tense, we conjugate the auxiliary verb. So, for example:
The money was stolen.
They are paid on Fridays.
The movie is being made in Hollywood.
present simple: It is made
I washed my car three weeks ago.
present continuous: It is being made
His hair was cut by a professional.
I will introduce you to my boss this week.
It would have been fixed on the weekend.
10
The national anthem is being sung by Jason this time.
present perfect: It has been made

Here are some examples with most of the possible tenses:
infinitive
simple
present
past
future
conditional
continuous
present
past
future
conditional
perfect simple
present
past
future
conditional
perfect continuous present
past
future
conditional
to be washed
It is washed.
It was washed.
It will be washed.
It would be washed.
It is being washed.
It was being washed.
It will be being washed.
It would be being washed.
It has been washed.
It had been washed.
It will have been washed.
It would have been washed.
It has been being washed.
It had been being washed.
It will have been being washed.
It would have been being washed.
Active to passive Transformations

1. They make shoes in that factory.
Shoes ____________________in that factory.
2. People must not leave bicycles in the driveway.
Bicycles _______________________________ in the driveway.
3. They built that skyscraper in 1934.
That skyscraper ______________________ in 1934.
4. The students will finish the course by July.
The course____________________________ by July.
5. They are repairing the streets this month.
2
The streets ____________________________this month.

6. They make these tools of plastic.
15. Karen is going to prepare the refreshments.

The refreshments ___________________________________ by Karen.
These tools ______________________________of plastic.

7. They have finished the new product design.
The new product design______________________________ .
8. They were cooking dinner when I arrived.
Dinner____________________________________________ when I
arrived.
9. Smithers painted 'Red Sunset' in 1986.
'Red Sunset' _______________________________________in 1986 by
Smithers.
10. Did the plan interest you?
Active / Passive Verb Forms

Sentences can be active or passive. Therefore, tenses also have "active
forms" and "passive forms." You must learn to recognize the difference to
successfully speak English.
Active Form
In active sentences, the thing doing the action is the subject of the sentence and the
thing receiving the action is the object. Most sentences are active.
[Thing doing action] + [verb] + [thing receiving action]
___________________________________ in the plan?

11. They had finished the preparations by the time the guests arrived.
Examples:
The preparations ________________________________by the time the

guests arrived.
12. You should take care when working on electrical equipment.
Care _________________________________when working on electrical
equipment.
13. They are going to perform Beethoven's Fifth Symphony next weekend.
Beethoven's Fifth Symphony
____________________________________________ next weekend.
14. Someone will speak Japanese at the meeting.
Japanese_________________________ at the meeting.
Passive Form
In passive sentences, the thing receiving the action is the subject of the sentence
and the thing doing the action is optionally included near the end of the sentence.
You can use the passive form if you think that the thing receiving the action is more
important or should be emphasized. You can also use the passive form if you do not
3
know who is doing the action or if you do not want to mention who is doing the
action.
by Sam.
[Thing receiving action] + [be] + [past participle of verb] + [by] + [thing doing action]
Examples:
Past
Continuous
The salesman was

helping the customer
when the thief came
into the store.
The customer was

being helped by the
salesman when the
thief came into the
store.
Present
Perfect
Many tourists have

visited that castle.
That castle has been

visited by many
tourists.
Present
Perfect
Continuous
Recently, John has

been doing the work.
Recently, the work has

been being done by
John.
Past Perfect
George had repaired

many cars before he
received his
mechanic's license.
Many cars had been

repaired by George
before he received his
mechanic's license.
Past Perfect
Continuous
Chef Jones had been

preparing the
restaurant's fantastic
dinners for two years
before he moved to
Paris.
The restaurant's
fantastic dinners had
been being prepared
by Chef Jones for two
years before he moved
to Paris.
Simple
Someone will finish
The work will be
ACTIVE / PASSIVE OVERVIEW
Simple
Present
Active
Passive
Once a week, Tom

cleans the house.
Once a week, the

house is cleaned by
Tom.
Present
Continuous
Right now, Sarah is

writing the letter.
Right now, the letter is

being written by
Sarah.
Simple Past
Sam repaired the car.
The car was repaired
Future
will
the work by 5:00 PM.
finished by 5:00 PM.
Simple
Future
be going to
Sally is going to
make a beautiful
dinner tonight.
A beautiful dinner is
going to be made by
Sally tonight.
Future
Continuous
will
At 8:00 PM tonight,
John will be washing
the dishes.
At 8:00 PM tonight, the

dishes will be being
washed by John.
Future
Continuous
be going to
At 8:00 PM tonight,
John is going to be
washing the dishes.
At 8:00 PM tonight, the

dishes are going to be
being washed by
John.
Future
Perfect
will
They will have

completed the
project before the
deadline.
The project will have

been completed
before the deadline.
Future
Perfect
be going to
They are going to

have completed the
project before the
deadline.
The project is going to

have been completed
before the deadline.
Future
Perfect
Continuous
The famous artist will

have been painting
the mural for over six
The mural will have

been being painted
by the famous artist for
5

Active, Passive Voice

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Active, Passive Voice

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Active Voice, Passive Voice

Construction of the Passive Voice

There are two special forms for verbs called voice:

The structure of the passive voice is very simple:

subject + auxiliary verb (be) + main verb (past participle)

The main verb is always in its past participle form.

auxiliary verb (to

main verb (past

Use of the Passive Voice

we want to make the active object more important

we do not know the active subject

has been stolen

Active or Passive Quiz

I ate a piece of chocolate cake.

The librarian read the book to the students.

The money was stolen.

They are paid on Fridays.

The movie is being made in Hollywood.

present simple: It is made

I washed my car three weeks ago.

present continuous: It is being made

His hair was cut by a professional.

I will introduce you to my boss this week.

It would have been fixed on the weekend.

The national anthem is being sung by Jason this time.

present perfect: It has been made

Active to passive Transformations

The streets ____________________________this month.

15. Karen is going to prepare the refreshments.

These tools ______________________________of plastic.

Active / Passive Verb Forms

___________________________________ in the plan?

The preparations ________________________________by the time the

The salesman was

The customer was

Many tourists have

That castle has been

Recently, John has

Recently, the work has

George had repaired

Many cars had been

Chef Jones had been

Someone will finish

The work will be

ACTIVE / PASSIVE OVERVIEW

Once a week, Tom

Once a week, the

Right now, Sarah is

Right now, the letter is

Sam repaired the car.

The car was repaired

the work by 5:00 PM.

finished by 5:00 PM.

At 8:00 PM tonight, the

At 8:00 PM tonight, the

They will have

The project will have

They are going to