PASSIVE VOICE
WHAT IS PASSIVE VOICE
Active Voice
Passive Voice
WHEN IS PASSIVE USED
Passive is mainly used in formal written English. It is used in academic and formal writing, in newspapers, and reports which tend to be less personal. The focus is on the recipient rather than on the doer of the action. In most cases, in passive sentences the agent is omitted unless it is essential to understand the sentence.
- On my way home, I was stopped by the police, who gave me a ticket.
- The Harry Potter series have been written by British author J.K.Rowling
The passive voice is preferred over active in the following cases:
1
THE AGENT IS UNKNOWN OR NOT IMPORTANT
A new bypass is being built around the city.
My car was stolen the other day.
She was warned not to enter into that area.
I noticed that the door had been left open.
2
THE AGENT IS GENERALIZED
(when the subject is you, we, people, everybody etc.)
Tickets for the show can be bought from the 1st July.
Nowadays smart phones are used for watching movies and browsing on the internet.
Picasso’s works can be seen at the National Museum from tomorrow.
Have you not been informed about the changes?
3
3 WE DON’T WANT TO NAME THE AGENT
(it would be inappropriate/not tactful to mention)
Mr. Gates, we regret to inform you that your application has not been accepted.
A few major mistakes have been made, let’s fix them as soon as possible.
Despite all the necessary precautions, the priceless painting was damaged.
4
4 WE WANT TO CHANGE THE FOCUS
(the recipient of the action is more important than the doer of the action; the agent is usually omitted)
A random passer-by shot John Lennon, the legendary musician close to his apartment in broad daylight. (active sentence; focus on ‘passer-by’)
John Lennon, the legendary musician, was shot near to his apartment in broad daylight. (passive sentence; focus on ‘John Lennon, the legendary musician’)
HOW IS IT FORMED
the appropriate form of the verb ‘BE’ + PAST PARTICIPLE (V3)
Grammatically speaking, all twelve active tenses have their passive forms, however some forms are rarely used (or not used at all) in modern English. Therefore – for the sake of simplicity – this page deals with only four passive tenses and passive modals.
Present Simple
The boy delivers the newspaper every day. (active)
The newspaper is delivered every day. (passive)
A lot of people speak English these days. (active)
English is spoken all around the world. (passive)
Present Continuous
The police are following the robbers. (active)
The robbers are being followed. (passive)
Sara is baking a cake. (active)
The cake is being baked. (passive)
Past Simple
Columbus discovered America in 1492. (active)
America was discovered in 1492. (passive)
Jenny didn’t invite them to the party.(active)
They were not invited to the party. (passive)
Present Perfect
The government has introduced the new tax policy. (active)
The new tax policy has been introduced. (passive)
The company has bought new computers recently. (active)
New computers have been bought recently. (passive)
Modals
I can’t eat this food. (active)
This food can’t be eaten. (passive)
We should have finished the project. (active)
The project should have been finished. (passive)
TRANSITIVE/INTRANSITIVE VERBS
Not all verbs can be used in passive. Intransitive verbs (verbs that don’t take an object) cannot form passive.
Intransitive verbs: arrive, dance, go, jump, swim, sleep, get up, belong, suit, have etc.
Some stative verbs (hear, feel, know, love…) can be used in passive:
- She is often misunderstood by her collegues.
- It is widely known that she has been dating with the milkman.
- The new maths teacher is loved by everybody.
- They are not independent. Their company is owned by a much larger one.
Verbs such as read, sell, need, require can be used in an active sentence with passive meaning.
- The new iPhone sells well.
- Some of Hemingway’s novels read difficult.
- My old car needs repairing.
- The operating system requires updating.
Verbs that are normally always used in passive (born, deem, populated, taken aback, hospitalize)
- She wasn’t born with a silver spoon in her mouth.
- You’ll certainly be taken aback if you open the door.
- Monte Carlo is the most densely populated country in the world.
- Everybody was hospitalized after the tragic car accident.
- The area around the nuclear power station has now been deemed safe.
Verbs of perception (see, hear, feel) and ‘make‘ are followed by a ‘TO-Infinitive’ in passive sentences, while in active ones these verbs take the ‘bare infinitive’ (without ‘TO’)
Active
The porter saw the thieves come into the building.
Garry heard her sing in the bathroom.
The inspector made her admit the truth.
Passive
The thieves were seen to come into the building.
She was heard to sing in the bathroom.
She was made to admit the truth.
Passive voice with reporting verbs (think, believe, know, assume, say, consider, understand, expect etc.)
Instead of mentioning the generalized agent (you, we, people, everybody) we can use these passive patterns:
it + passive reporting verb + that-clause
It is widely known that Cindy has been dating with the milk man. (everybody knows…)
Once upon a time it was believed that the Earth was the center of the universe. (people once believed…)
It is expected that the global recession will end soon.
It is said that the new manager is a strict but fair man.
It is supposed that Huawei phones have the most advanced camera system.
subject + passive reporting verb + to-infinitive
Cindy is known to have been dating with the milkman.
Both drivers are reported to have been injured in the accident.
The victim is believed to be wearing black shirt and blue jeans.
The new manager is said to be a strict but fair man.
Huawei phones are supposed to have the most advanced camera system.
PASSIVE INFINITIVES AND GERUNDS
A gerund is the ING form of the verb and functions as a noun and as such can be both a subject or an object in a sentence. It can be in an active or passive form.
Ex. 1. Sally likes giving presents to her friends. – Giving (active gerund) is the direct object to the verb LIKE in this sentence. In this active form the subject (Sally) performs the action of giving.
Ex. 2. She was not interested in taking care of my dog. Taking (active gerund) the object of the preposition IN. It expresses what the subject was (not) intrested in.
Ex. 3. Sally likes being given presents from her friends. Being given (passive gerund) is the object to the main verb LIKE, just like in Ex. 1, but in this case the subject (Sally) receives the action.
Ex. 4. She went to the ceremony without being invited. Being invited is the object of the preposition WITHOUT and refers back to the subject (she). i.e. She wasn’t invited to the ceremony.
Passive Infinitives
I would like to be woken up at 6 PM.
Mr. Trump is hoping to be elected president.
She could be given a prize for this performance.
The window needs to be cleaned.
Passive Gerunds
She hates being shouted at.
Most people like being given presents.
I don’t like being told what to do.
Teenagers hate being threated like kids.
Mrs. Robinson went to the party without being invited.
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