Passive Voice

Laura  Galindo.  Adapted  from  New  English  File  Upper-­‐Intermediate.  Oxford.  

Use: We use the passive voice when you want to talk about an action but you are not so interested in saying who or what does the action. The house has been redecorated. If you want to mention the person or thing that did the action (the agent), use by. Prison sentences are decided by judges.  

Passive Voice

Form:

The passive of the verb is formed by the verb to be in whichever tense + the past participle.

To be + past participle  

Passive Voice

Present Simple:

Murderers are usually sentenced to life imprisonment.

Passive Voice

TO BE + PAST PARTICIPLE  

Present Continuous:

The trial is being held at the moment.

Passive Voice

TO BE + PAST PARTICIPLE  

Present Perfect:

My car has been stolen.

Passive Voice

TO BE + PAST PARTICIPLE  

Past Simple:

Jim was arrested last month.

Passive Voice

TO BE + PAST PARTICIPLE  

Past Continuous:

The cinema was being rebuilt when it was set on fire.

Passive Voice

TO BE + PAST PARTICIPLE  

Past Perfect:

We saw that one of the windows had been broken.

Passive Voice

TO BE + PAST PARTICIPLE  

Future Simple:

The prisoner will be released next month.

Passive Voice

TO BE + PAST PARTICIPLE  

Future with “going to”:

The verdict is going to be given tomorrow.

Passive Voice

BE GOING TO + BE + PAST PARTICIPLE  

Infinitive with to:

People used to be imprisoned for stealing bread.

Passive Voice

TO BE + PAST PARTICIPLE  

Infinitive without to:

You can be fined for parking on a yellow line.

Passive Voice

TO BE + PAST PARTICIPLE  

Gerund:

He paid a fine to avoid being sent to jail.

Passive Voice

TO BE + PAST PARTICIPLE  

It is said that… It is thought to

Use:

This formal structure it used specially in news reports and on TV with the verbs know, tell, understand, report, expect, say and think.

It is said that… It is thought to

Form:

You can use:

•  It is said / believed, etc. + that + clause it is said that the company may close.

•  He / the man (a subject of the clause) + is said, believed, etc. + to + infinitive The man is said to be in his forties.