Finding out about grammar


titulo

13.1 What Is Passive Voice?

The structure that you must use when using the Passive Voice is:

  • Structure Be + Past Participle

    • In the Passive Form, the Object of an Active Verb becomes the Subject of the Passive Verb.

    Examples:

    example example

    The boy (object) in the Active Form becomes the Subject of the Passive Form as s hown in the second sentence.
    Only Transitive Verbs (Verbs that are followed by an object) are used in the P assive Form. Intransitive Verbs don't have an object.
    It is not possible to use verbs as happen, asleep, come, and seem (Intransitive V erbs) and other verbs in the Passive Form.

    Example:

  • Active Form: An accident happened.
    Passive Form: NOT POSSIBLE.
  • Active Form: The baby fell asleep.
    Passive Form: NOT POSSIBLE.
  • Active Form: Sorry, couldn't come.
    Passive Form: NOT POSSIBLE.

    • 13.1.1 Using Passive Voice in Different Tenses

    We must be aware of the changes that may occur when using the passive voice in different tenses. Look at these examples to understand.

    Example:

  • Simple Present:
  • Active: Mary helps John.
    Passive: John is helped by Mary.
  • Present Progressive:
  • Active:Mary is helping John.
    Passive: John is being helped by Mary.
  • Present Progressive:
  • Active:Mary is helping John.
    Passive: John is being helped by Mary.
  • Present Perfect:
  • Active:Mary has helped John.
    Passive: John has been helped by Mary.
  • Simple Past:
  • Active:Mary helped John.
    Passive: John was helped by Mary.
  • Past Progressive:
  • Active:Mary was helping John.
    Passive: John was being helped by Mary.
  • Past Perfect:
  • Active:Mary had helped John.
    Passive: John had been helped by Mary.
  • Simple Future:
  • Active:Mary will help John.
    Passive:John will be helped by Mary.
  • Going to:
  • Active:Mary is going to help John.
    Passive:John is going to be helped
    by Mary.
  • Future Perfect:
  • Active:Mary will have helped John
    when you arrive.
    Passive:John will have been helped
    by Mary.

    • The Progressive forms of the Present Perfect, Past Perfect, Future Tense and F uture Perfect are not commonly used in the Passive Form.

            Exercise 1

    Now, it's your turn! Change these sentences from the Active Form to the Passive Form by supplying the correct form of To Be.

    Example:

  • Tom opensthe door.
    The door is opened by Tom.
  • 1. Tom is opening the door.
  • 2. Tom has opened the door.
  • 3. Tom opened the door.
  • 4. Tom was opening the door.
  • 5. Tom had opened the door.
  • 6. Tom will open the door.
  • 7. Tom is going to open the door.
  • 8. Tom will have opened the door.

    •         Exercise 2

    Change from the Active Form to the Passive Form.

    Example:

  • Shakespeare wrote that play.
    The play was written by Shakespeare.
  • 1.Bill will invite Ann to the party.
  • 2.Alex is preparing that report.
  • 3.Waitresses and waiters serve costumers.
  • 4.The teachers are going to explain the lesson.
  • 5.Shirley had suggested a new idea.
  • 6.The horses were pulling the farmer's wagon.
  • 7.Kathy had returned the book to the library.
  • 8.His tricks won't fool me.

    •         Exercise 3

    Change from the Active Form to the Passive Form, if possible. Some are I ntransitive Verbs (happen, sleep, come and seem) and can not be changed.

    Examples:

  • Active:A strange thing happened yesterday.
    Passive:(It does not change).
  • Active:Jackie scored the winning goal.
    Passive:The winning goal was scored by Jackie.
  • 1.My cat died.
  • 2.I agree with Dr. Freud's theory.
  • 3.Dr. Freud developed that theory.
  • 4. Timmy dropped the flour.
  • 5.The cup fell to the floor.
  • 6.The assistant manager interviewed me.
  • 7.It rained hard yesterday.
  • 8.A hurricane destroyed the small fishing village.
  • 9.Dinosaurs existed millions of years ago.

    • 13.2 Using the Passive Voice

    The Passive Form is frequently used when it is not known or not important to know exactly who performs the action.

    Example:

  • Rice is grown in India.
    Our house was built in 1890.
    The olive oil was imported from Spain.

    • In these sentences, who exactly performs the action is not known or is not i mportant.

    Examples:

  • Rice is growngrown in India by people (by farmers, by someone).
    Our house was built by people who built houses in 1890.
    Olive oil was imported by other people in general.

    • If it is important to know who performs the action, by is included in the sentence.

    Example:

  • “Life on the Mississippi” was written by Mark Twain.

    • The Active Form is used when the speaker or writer knows who performs the action.

    Example:

  • My aunt made this rug.

    • The Passive Form may be used with by instead of the Active Form when the s peaker or writer wants to focus attention on the subject of the sentence.

    Example:

  • This rug was made by my aunt, but that rug was made by my mother.

    • In these sentences, the focus or attention is on “two rugs.”

            Exercise 4

    What would be the Active equivalents of the Passive sentences?

  • 1.The Washington Monument is visited by hundreds of people every day.
  • 2.Paper, the main writing material today, was invented by the Chinese.
  • 3.The World Cup soccer games are being televised all over the world.
  • 4.Beethoven's Seventh Symphony was performed at the concert last night.

    • 13.3 The Passive Voice of Modals and Different Expressions

    When we use the modals for a passive form, the generic structure is:

  • Structure Modal + be + past participle

    • Example:

  • Tom will be invited to the picnic.
    The window can't be opened.
    Children should be taught respect elders.
    May I be excused from class?
    This letter ought to be sent by June
    Mary has to be told about the new plans.

    • These modals in past:

    Passive Form:

  • Modal + have been + past participle

    • Example:

  • This letter should have been sent last week.
    That house must have been built over 200 years ago.
    John ought to have been invited to the party.

    •         Exercise 5

    Complete the sentences with the given words, active or passive.

    Example:

  • James should be told the news as soon as possible. (Should + tell)

    •         Exercise 6

    Use the verb in parenthesis with any appropriate modal or similar expression. All o f the sentences are passive. Use the modal that sounds best to you.