The document discusses the form and use of passive voice in English. It begins by explaining that a passive sentence consists of the form "to be" plus the past participle of the main verb. It notes that in a passive construction, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject, the verb is changed to the passive form, and the original subject may become an object or be dropped. The document provides examples of passive voice in different tenses. It also discusses how to handle sentences with two objects and impersonal versus personal passive constructions. In the exercises, learners are asked to rewrite examples as passive sentences in both simple present and simple past tense.
The document discusses the form and use of passive voice in English. It begins by explaining that a passive sentence consists of the form "to be" plus the past participle of the main verb. It notes that in a passive construction, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject, the verb is changed to the passive form, and the original subject may become an object or be dropped. The document provides examples of passive voice in different tenses. It also discusses how to handle sentences with two objects and impersonal versus personal passive constructions. In the exercises, learners are asked to rewrite examples as passive sentences in both simple present and simple past tense.
The document discusses the form and use of passive voice in English. It begins by explaining that a passive sentence consists of the form "to be" plus the past participle of the main verb. It notes that in a passive construction, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject, the verb is changed to the passive form, and the original subject may become an object or be dropped. The document provides examples of passive voice in different tenses. It also discusses how to handle sentences with two objects and impersonal versus personal passive constructions. In the exercises, learners are asked to rewrite examples as passive sentences in both simple present and simple past tense.
The document discusses the form and use of passive voice in English. It begins by explaining that a passive sentence consists of the form "to be" plus the past participle of the main verb. It notes that in a passive construction, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject, the verb is changed to the passive form, and the original subject may become an object or be dropped. The document provides examples of passive voice in different tenses. It also discusses how to handle sentences with two objects and impersonal versus personal passive constructions. In the exercises, learners are asked to rewrite examples as passive sentences in both simple present and simple past tense.
Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
Download as docx, pdf, or txt
You are on page 1/ 4
FORM OF PASSIVE
Subject + finite form of to be + Past Participle (3rd column of irregular verbs)
Example: A letter was written.
When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:
the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence
the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)
the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is dropped)
Examples of Passive:
Tense Subject Verb Object
writes a letter. Simple Active: Rita Present Passive: A letter is written by Rita.
Simple Past Active: Rita wrote a letter.
Passive: A letter was written by Rita.
Present Active: Rita has written a letter.
Perfect Passive: A letter has been written by Rita.
Future I Active: Rita will write a letter.
Passive: A letter will be written by Rita.
Passive Sentences with Two Objects Rewriting an active sentence with two objects in passive voice means that one of the two objects becomes the subject, the other one remains an object. Which object to transform into a subject depends on what you want to put the focus on.
Subject Verb Object 1 Object 2
wrote a letter to me.
Active: Rita
Passive: A letter was written to me by Rita.
Passive: I was written a letter by Rita.
As you can see in the examples, adding by Rita does not sound very elegant. That’s why it is usually dropped.
Personal and Impersonal Passive
Personal Passive simply means that the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. So every verb that needs an object (transitive verb) can form a personal passive.
Example: They build houses. – Houses are built.
Verbs without an object (intransitive verb) normally cannot form a personal passive sentence (as there is no object that can become the subject of the passive sentence). If you want to use an intransitive verb in passive voice, you need an impersonal construction – therefore this passive is called Impersonal Passive.
Example: he says – it is said
Impersonal Passive is not as common in English as in some other languages (e.g.
German, Latin). In English, Impersonal Passive is only possible with verbs of perception (e. g. say, think, know).
Example: They say that women live longer than men. – It is said that women live longer than men. Although Impersonal Passive is possible here, Personal Passive is more common.
Example: They say that women live longer than men. – Women are said to live longer than men.
The subject of the subordinate clause (women) goes to the beginning of the sentence; the verb of perception is put into passive voice. The rest of the sentence is added using an infinitive construction with 'to' (certain auxiliary verbs and that are dropped).
Sometimes the term Personal Passive is used in English lessons if the indirect object of an active sentence is to become the subject of the passive sentence.
EXERCISES: 1. Write passive sentences in Simple Present.
the documents / print :________________________________
the window / open : _____________________________________
the shoes / buy : ______________________________________
the car / wash : _________________________________________
the litter / throw away : ____________________________________
the letter / send : _______________________________________
the book / read / not : _______________________________
the songs / sing / not : ________________________________
the food / eat / not : __________________________________
the shop / close / not : ________________________________________
2. Write passive sentences in Simple Past.
1. the test / write : ________________________________
2. the table / set : _____________________________________ 3. the cat / feed : ________________________________________ 4. the lights / switch on :_______________________________ 5. the house / build : _________________________________________ 6. dinner / serve : _________________________________________ 7. this computer / sell / not : ________________________________ 8. the car / stop / not : ________________________________________ 9. the tables / clean / not : _________________________________ 10. the children / pick up / not : _____________________________
