THE PASSIVE

1. USE

We use a passive verb to say what happens to the subject. In most passive sentences we have no interest in who or
what performs the action. We are interested in the action itself, who or what is affected by the action.

A lot of money was stolen in the robbery. (Somebody stole it but we don ́t know who).

Is this room cleaned every day? (Does somebody clean it? – it ́s not important who).

If we want to say who does or what causes the action, we use by... (This complement is called the agent).

This house was built by my grandfather.

Two hundred people are employed by the company.

Israel sent bombs to Palestina.

Bombs were sent to Palestina by Israel.

The exam was failed by Israel.

The exam was passed by Israel and not by the rest of students.

The noise is made by Santiago moving a coin.

The stick is going to be given by Esperanza to Santiago.

2. FORM

Active: SUBJECT + VERB (ACTIVE) + OBJECT

The driver opened the door.

Passive: SUBJECT + TO BE (ACTIVE TENSE) + VERB (PAST PARTICIPLE) + (BY + AGENT)

The door was opened. (by the driver)

TENSES ACTIVE PASIVE

Present Simple He sells books Books are sold
Present Continuous He is selling books Books are being sold
Past Simple He sold books Books were sold
Past Continuous He was selling books Books were being sold
Present Perfect Simple He has sold books Books have been sold
Present Perfect Books have been being
He has been selling books
Continuous sold
Past Perfect He had sold books Books had been sold
Past Perfect Continuous He had been selling books Books had been being sold
Future simple He will sell books Books will be sold
Future Simple Continuous He will be selling books Books will be being sold
Modal He must sell books Books must be sold
 Modal Perfect Books must have been
He must have sold books
sold
Have to He has to sell books Books have to be sold
Be going to He is going to sell books Books are going to be sold

2.1. INTERROGATIVE

1. Active – Interrogative: Did Clint Eastwood direct this film?

2. Active – Affirmative: Clint Eastwood directed this film.

3. Passive- Affirmative: This film was directed by Clint Eastwood.

4. Passive-Interrogative: Was this film directed by Clint Eastwood?

Are you watching the TV right now?

You are watching the TV right now.

The TV is being watched right now.

Is the TV being watched right now?

When will the students visit Andorra?

When the students will visit Andorra.
When Andorra will be visited by the students?
When will Andorra be visited by the students?

5. Passive – Affirmative: This film was directed by Clint Eastwood.

6. Passive – Interrogative: Was this film directed by Clint Eastwood?

EXERCISES
1. Few people have climbed this mountain before.

This mountain has been climbed before by few people.

2. They performed his opera for the first time last Saturday.

His opera was peformed for the first time last Saturday.

3. Young people will organize the exhibition.

The exhibition will be organized by young people.

4. We will give the marks in June.

The marks will be given in June.

5. They have proved all his calculations wrong

All his calculations have been proved wrong.

6. The teacher is giving the marks now.

The marks are being given now.

7. They will never forget it.

It will never be forgotten.

8. They announced the arrival of the plane over the loud-speakers.

The arrival of the plane was announced over the loud-speakers.

9. Were the police checking driving licences last Saturday?

Were the driving licenses being checked last Saturday?

10. We must pay our debts before the end of the month.

Our debts must be paid before the end of the month.

11. They ought to pay him more for the work he does.

He ought to be paid more for the work he does.

12. They should inform his parents as soon as possible.

His parents should be informed as soon as possible.

13. They must have invited too many people.

Too many people must have been invited.

14. My friends are repairing the car

The car is being repaired by my friends.

15. Are they typing the letters?

Are the letters being typed?

16. Someone has spilt some milk on the carpet.

Some milk has been spilt on the carpet.

17. Did anyone answer your question?

Was the question answered?

18. Someone is teaching him English.

English is being taught to HIM.

He is being taught English.

19. They have been looking at her for hours

 She has been looked at for hours.

3. PASSIVE WITH TWO OBJECTS

There are some verbs which can have two objects. For example, give, send, offer, tell, ask, promise, show,
teach, pay, bring, buy, cost, get, leave, lend, make, order, owe, pass, read, refuse, sing, take, wish write...

Active: We gave the police (I) the information (D).

Passive 1: The police was given the information.

Passive 2: The information was given TO the police.

EXERCISES

1. The boss offered him an excellent job.

An excellent job was offered TO HIM.
He was offered an excellent job.

2. We will give you plenty of time.

Plenty of time will be given TO YOU.
You will be given plenty of time.
3. The executives paid the staff more than 200€.
The staff…was paid more than 200€.
More than 200€ were paid TO THE STAFF.
4. They gave an award to an unknown actress.
An award was given TO an unknown actress.
An unknown actress has been given an award.
5. The police showed the victim a picture of the suspect.
The victim was showed a picture of the suspect.
A picture of the suspect was showed TO THE VICTIM.
6. People used to sell the tourists fake antiques.
The tourists used to be sold fake antiques.
Fake antiques used to be sold to tourists.
7. They didn’t guarantee every participant a free lunch.
A free lunch wasn’t guaranteed to EVERY PARTICIPANT.
Every participant wasn’t guaranteed a free lunch.
8. They reported the incident to the police.
The incident was reported to the police.
The police was reported the incident.
9. They promised us full compensation if the scheme fell through.
We were poromised full compensation if the scheme fell through.
Full compensation was promised to US if the scheme feel through.

4. REPORTING PASSIVES
The reporting passive use the following verbs: acknowledge, believe, claim, consider, feel, find, know,
presume, report, say, think, understand.

People think that he is a very good pupil.

People thought that he was a very good pupil.

1. It + (1st verb passive) + that + clause:

It is thought that he is a very good pupil.

It was thought that he was a very good pupil.

2. Subject + (1st verb passive) + to + (infinitive – present or future/ have+ PAST PARTICIPLE – past)

He is thought to be a very good pupil.

He was thought to have been a very good pupil.

EXERCISES

1. A journalist reports that they are leaving Las Vegas tomorrow night.
2. The lecturer thought that Columbus never realized that he had discovered America.
3. Their parents thought that the teenagers were dancing at the disco.
4. Everybody thinks that she sings beautifully
5. The children reported that their friends were swimming when they disappeared.
6. People believed that they had killed the animals during the night.
7. My friends think that my parents are the best parents in the world.
8. They believed that the horse was a present.
9. People are thinking that drugs are very dangerous.
10. They knew that Mr. Brown was stealing iron from the factory.

5. CAUSATIVE

This is not a real passive but it’s quite common when we pay someone else, in most cases an
expert, to do things we can’t or don’t want to do. The structure is always the same; therefore, be
very careful!
 SUBJECT + HAVE/GET (any tense) + OBJECT (direct object) + PAST PARTICIPLE

Active: The hairdresser cut my hair yesterday.

Causative: I had my hair cut yesterday.

Active: The publisher is going to publish his book next week.

Passive: I had my hair cut yesterday.

Passive: He is going to have his book published next week.

EXERCISES

1. Someone washed my car yesterday.

My car was washed yesterday.
I had my car washed yesterday.
2. His tailor is lengthening his trousers.
He is having his trousers lengthened.
3. Someone tuned her piano yesterday.
She had her piano tuned yesterday.
4. A local firm redecorated our kitchen.
We had our kitchen redecorated.
5. The garage will service your car.
You will have your car serviced.
6. A doctor took out her tonsils.
She had her tonsils taken out.
7. Gary asked someone to translate the article for him.
Gary had the article translated.
6. VERBS AND PREPOSITIONS

When we put an active sentence, where a preposition follows after the verb (e.g. break into, look after, listen to),
into passive – the preposition remains immediately after the verb.

Active sentence Passive sentence

Someone broke into the pet shop. The pet shop was broken into.

They looked for the baby. The baby was looked for.

Someone shouts at the man. The man is shouted at.

They listen to the music. Music is listened to.

EXERCISES

1. The army called up the soldiers. --> ___________________________________

2. Larry paid for the groceries. --> _____________________________________

3. Dave told on Thomas. --> _____________________________________

4. The police set Martin up. --> _____________________________________

5. Mrs. Williams looked after my dog. --> _____________________________________

6. A lot of kids picked on Johnny. --> _____________________________________

7. Your brother showed me around. --> _____________________________________

8. That street vendor ripped her off. --> _____________________________________

9. Paul asked Sarah out. --> _____________________________________

10. Mr. Williams mixed up our exams. --> ___________________________

MIXED REPHRASING
1. Mr Smith handed in the students the tests last week. The students
2. The painters will paint the chapel next week. We
3. Paul asked Sarah out. Sarah
4. They are considering the idea right now. The idea
5. The servants have already served the dinner. The dinner
6. Can someone clean up the kitchen? Can
7. Did anyone dust the furniture this morning? Was…
8. He had left the report on the desk. The report…
9. They offered him a new job. He…/ A new job…
10. That woman repaired my clothes. My clothes…
11. A reporter was interviewing the whole family. The whole family…