Using the Passive Voice and Active

By: Karém Machaca Fuentes Manuel Aguilar Fuentes

Using the Passive Voice

Definitions

Changing to the passive voice

Practice examples

Active Voice

Active voice is used to show that the subject of the sentence is performing or causing the action.

Example:Alexia threw the basketball before the buzzer. Alexia shot the basketball from the free throw line.Alexia scored three points.

Passive Voice

Passive voice is used when the subject is the recipient of the action.

Example:The ball was thrown by Alexia.The basket was shot by Alexia.The score was made by Alexia.

Active voice vs. passive voice

Active voice takes the form “A does B”

Passive voice takes the form “B is done (by A)”

Plastic film was chosen (by us) to cover the microphone.

We chose plastic film to cover the microphone.

When would you WANT to use passive

voice? When intentionally trying to hide the subject of the sentence. For example, a politician might say, “The mistake was made by

someone.” Hiding the subject helps him/her hide the blame.

When intentionally trying to minimize the guilt of the subject. For example, a cheating boyfriend might say, “Cheating was

committed by me.”

When passive voice better emphasizes the main point of the message, such as “Children were harmed by the drunk driver.”

Active voice subjects perform an act

We ... chose ... plastic film to cover the microphone.

Active voice

Subject Verb Object

Passive voice subjects are acted on

Plastic film … was chosen … to cover the microphone.

Passive voice

Subject Verb Object

We ... chose ... plastic film to cover the microphone.

Active voice

Subject Verb Object

Passive voice differs from 3rd person

Plastic film … was chosen … to cover the microphone.

The team ... chose ... plastic film to cover the microphone.

Third person, but active voice

Passive voice

Subject Verb Object

Subject Verb Object

Using the Passive Voice

Definitions

Changing to the passive voice

Practice examples

“To be” is very irregular:

Past participles usually add “-ed” or “-t”:presented, measured, built, burnt

Irregular past participles must be memorized

Combine “to be” + past participle

Present tense Past tense

1st person

I am We are I was We were

2nd person

You are You are

You were You were

3rd person

He, she, it is

They are

He, she, it was

They were

Form Grammar Active Form Passive Form

Present Simple Am/is/are + PP Served twice a year is the Jim <s car.

Jim<s car is serviced twice a year.

Present Continuous

Am/is/are being + PP Prepare now dinner. Dinner is being prepared now.

Past Simple Was/were +PP Last week the Jim<s car was serviced

Jim<s car was serviced last week.

Past Continuous

Was/werw being + PP At 7 last night was preparing dinner.

Dinner was being prepared at 7 last night.

Present Perfect

Has/have been + PP It has been already eaten lunch.

Lunch has already been eaten.

Past Perfect Had been + PP Had cut trees. Trees had been cut.

Future Simple Will be + PP o am/is/are going to be + PP

Soon prepared will dinner

Dinner will be prepared soon.

Future Perfect Will have been + PP Tuesday will have paid checks

Checks will have been paid by Tuesday.

Infinitives (to) be + PP Now need to be washed dishes.

The dishes need to be cleaned now.

Modals Modal + be +PP Should be washed dishes

The dishes should be cleaned.

To be + past participle

Omit the “agent” of the action

ActiveWorkers installed burglar alarms.

Passive, with agent Burglar alarms were installed by the workers.

Passive, with the agent omittedBurglar alarms were installed.

Remember tense and number

Active Voice Passive voice

I finish a project in eight hours.

A project is finished in eight hours.

I finish three projects in eight hours

Three projects are finished in eight hours

I finished a project in eight hours.

A project was finished in eight hours.

I finished three projects in eight hours.

Three projects were finished in eight hours.

Remember tense and number

Active Voice Passive voice

I finish a project in eight hours.

A project is finished in eight hours.

I finish three projects in eight hours

Three projects are finished in eight hours

I finished a project in eight hours.

A project was finished in eight hours.

I finished three projects in eight hours.

Three projects were finished in eight hours.

Remember tense and number

Active Voice Passive voice

I finish a project in eight hours.

A project is finished in eight hours.

I finish three projects in eight hours

Three projects are finished in eight hours

I finished a project in eight hours.

A project was finished in eight hours.

I finished three projects in eight hours.

Three projects were finished in eight hours.

Remember tense and number

Active Voice Passive voice

I finish a project in eight hours.

A project is finished in eight hours.

I finish three projects in eight hours

Three projects are finished in eight hours

I finished a project in eight hours.

A project was finished in eight hours.

I finished three projects in eight hours.

Three projects were finished in eight hours.

Remember tense and number

Active Voice Passive voice

I finish a project in eight hours.

A project is finished in eight hours.

I finish three projects in eight hours

Three projects are finished in eight hours

I finished a project in eight hours.

A project was finished in eight hours.

I finished three projects in eight hours.

Three projects were finished in eight hours.

Remember tense and number

Active Voice Passive voice

I finish a project in eight hours.

A project is finished in eight hours.

I finish three projects in eight hours

Three projects are finished in eight hours

I finished a project in eight hours.

A project was finished in eight hours.

I finished three projects in eight hours.

Three projects were finished in eight hours.

Remember tense and number

Active Voice Passive voice

I finish a project in eight hours.

A project is finished in eight hours.

I finish three projects in eight hours

Three projects are finished in eight hours

I finished a project in eight hours.

A project was finished in eight hours.

I finished three projects in eight hours.

Three projects were finished in eight hours.

Remember tense and number

Active Voice Passive voice

I finish a project in eight hours.

A project is finished in eight hours.

I finish three projects in eight hours

Three projects are finished in eight hours

I finished a project in eight hours.

A project was finished in eight hours.

I finished three projects in eight hours.

Three projects were finished in eight hours.

Using the Passive Voice

Definitions

Changing to the passive voice

Practice examples

Change to the passive voice

Mr Jones watches films.Films

The people speak English.English

He reads comics.

We play volleyball.

They sing the song.

Change to the passive voice

He opens the door. The door She pays a lot of money. A lot of money They don't help you. You He doesn't open the book. The book Does the police officer catch the thief?

Two men _________________________ (see) breaking into a house in my street last night. The police _____________________ (call) and they arrived very quickly. One man _____________________ (catch) immediately. The other escaped, but he ______________________ (find) very soon. Both men _____________________ (take) to the police station where they _________________________ (question) separately by a police officer. The two men ________________________ (charge) with burglary.

. Put the verbs in brackets into Past Simple Passive.

a. The toothbrush / invent / in the 15th century.______________________________________________b. The first public basketball game / play / in 1892.______________________________________________c. The first eyeglasses / wear / in the 1200s.______________________________________________d. The first bicycle / ride in 1791.______________________________________________e. The first hot dog / eat / in the 1860s.______________________________________________

Read and complete. Use Past Simple.

FIAT Fiat 0 was started (started/was started) by a group of Italian businessmen in 1899. In 1903, Fiat, 1 _________________ (produced/was produced) 132 cars. Some of these cars 2 _____________________ (exported/were exported) by the company to the United States and Britain. In 1920, Fiat 3 _________________ (started/was started) making cars at a new factory at Lingotto, near Turin. There was a track on the roof where the cars 4 ____________________ (tested/were tested) by technicians. In 1936, Fiat launched the Fiat 500. This car 5 ____________________ (called/was called) the Topolino – the Italian name for Mickey Mouse. The company grew, and in 1963 Fiat 6 _____________________ (exported/was exported) more than 300,000 vehicles. Today, Fiat is based in Turin, and its cars 7 _________________ (sold/are sold) all over the world.

Choose the correct form of the verbs in brackets.