THE PASSIVE VOICE

Complex Structures

1) It is said/claimed/reported….that there is/are….*Note: We can have “there is/are” in the “that-clause”. There

are two ways of making the sentence passive. For example:  People think that there are more that 3,000 different

languages in the world. a- It is thought that there are more that 3,000 different

languages in the world. b- There are thought to be more that 3,000 different

languages in the world.  People say that there is disagreement between the Prime

Minister and the Home Secretary. a- It is said that there is disagreement between the Prime

Minister and the Home Secretary. b- There is said to be disagreement between the Prime

Minister and the Home Secretary.

Now Try these ones:1- People said there were ghosts in the house, but I never

heard anything2- They think that there is oil under Windsor Castle.

ANSWERS: 1- a- It is said that there were ghosts in the house, but I never

heard anything.b-There were said to be ghosts in the house, but I never

heard anything.

2-a- It is thought that there is oil under Windsor Castle.b- There is thought to be oil under Windsor Castle.

2) Verb followed by: A personal indirect object / to-inf

For example: They asked me to send a stamped

addressed envelope. (ACTIVE) I was asked to send a stamped addressed

envelope (PASSIVE) They told us not to come back (ACTIVE)We were told not to come back (PASSIVE)

Try these ones now: 1- Someone ordered the prisoners to stand

up. 2- We ask tenants no to play their radios

loudly after midnight. 3- They told the children not to tell lies. Answers:1- The prisoners were ordered to stand up.2- Tenants are asked not to play their radios

loudly after midnight.3- The children were told not to tell lies.

3) Verb followed by A personal indirect object / inf without to

Verbs like hear, see, make, help, let are usually followed by infinitive without “to”:

 I saw him come out of the house. (ACTIVE)He was seen to come out of the house.(PASSIVE) They will make him tell them everything (ACTIVE)He will be made to tell them everything (PASSIVE)But…They let him go. (ACTIVE)He was let go.(PASSIVE)

4) With verbs like: WANT / LIKE / LOVE / HATE + OBJECT + INF. or GERUNDS

*Notice this structure:A) I don’t want people to forget me I don’t want to be forgotten.B) She doesn’t like people laughing at her.

She doesn’t like being laughed at.

Now try these ones:Change into the passive.1. She doesn’t like people laughing at her.

She doesn’t like being laughed at.2. I don’t like people telling me what to do.3. We can’t stand people staring at us.4. He doesn’t like people interrupting him.5. I dislike people making jokes about me. 6. They enjoy people praising them7. I want someone to wake me up at 8.008. I’d like someone to read to me.9. We would love someone to take us out to dinner.

ANSWERS:2- I don’t like being told what to do.3- We can’t stand being stared at.4- He doesn’t like being interrupted.5- I dislike jokes being made about me.6- They enjoy being praised.7- I want to be woken up at 8.008- I’d like to be read to.9- We would like to be taken out to dinner.

5) Verbs like: RECOMMEND / PROPOSE / SUGGEST + GERUND

a) He proposed selling the houseHe proposed that the house should be sold

b) He recommended buying new tyres.He recommended that new tyres should be

bought.

Now try these ones.

1- He proposed postponing the trip.2- They advised employing part-time workers.3- They recommended opening new factories in the

depressed area.ANSWERS:

1- He proposed that the trip should be postponed 2- They advised that part-time workers should be employed. 3- They recommended that new factories should be opened in

the depressed area

6) ACTIVE VERBS WITH PREPOSITIONS: We have to keep the preposition after the passive verb:

a- They will send for you when the boss arrives.

You will be sent for when the boss arrives. b- They put off the meetingThe meeting was put off

Now try these ones:1- Someone brought back the stolen library

book.2- He threw away the old clothes.3- Doctors had to operate on his spine.ANSWERS:1- The stolen library book was brought back2- The old clothes were thrown away3- His spine had to be operated on.

1) Change these sentences into the Passive:1- The UN is sending food to the starving refugees.2- They will bury the climber at the foot of Mount Everest.3- IBM has sold computers all over the world.4- You must sterilize a baby’s bottle to kill germs.5- They first developed the VCR (video) in the early 1980s.6- Several Middle Eastern countries are considering joint water

projects.7- John Logie Baird produced the first television pictures in

1926.8- To make tea, you must boil the water and pour it onto the

tea-leaves.9- The mechanics were fixing my car when I telephoned.10- They crush sugar-cane in order to release the sugary juice.

ANSWERS:1- Food is being sent to the starving refugees by the UN.2- The climber will be buried at the foot of Mount Everest.3- Computers have been sold all over the world by IBM.4- A baby’s bottle must be sterilized to kill germs.5- The VCR was first developed in the early 1980s6- Joint water projects are being considered by Several Middle

Eastern countries. 7- The first television pictures were produced by John Logie

Baird in 1926.8- To make tea, water must be boiled and poured into the tea-

leaves.9- My car was being fixed when I phoned10- Sugar-cane is crushed in order to release the sugary juice.

11- We cannot exchange articles which customers bought during the sales.

12- Visitors must leave umbrellas and sticks in the cloakroom.

13- When they have widened this street, the roar of the traffic will keep residents awake all night.

14- Someone is showing Masie how to bath a baby.15- They didn’t pay me for my work. They expected me to do

it for nothing.16- He turned down the offer of a promotion.17- A bus picks up the students from school.18- The architect showed us around the new complex.19- The drunk driver ran a child over.20- They will offer him a new job in the factory.

ANSWERS:11- Articles which were bought during the sales cannot be

exchanged.12- Umbrellas and sticks must be left in the cloakroom.13- When this street has been widened, residents will be kept

awake all night by the roar of traffic.14- Masie is being shown how to bath the baby.15- x16- The offer of a promotion was turned down by him.17- The students were picked up from school by bus.18- We were shown around the new complex by an architect.19- A child was run over by a drunk driver.20- He will be offered a new job in the library. I new job will be offered to him in the library.

21- They should bring up children with a sense of duty.22- They didn’t pay me for the work; they expected me to do

it for nothing.23- What did they ask in the exam?24- Some people say that there are wolves in the mountains25- Somebody saw Harris leave the plane in Ontario.26- People think she died in a plane crash.27- The villagers called her a witch.28- The others called him stupid.29- People believed that fresh air was bad for sick people.30- They made me give them details of my bank account.

ANSWERS21- Children should be brought up with a sense of

duty22- I wasn’t paid for my work. I was expected to do it

for nothing.23- What was asked in the exam?24- There are said to be wolves in the mountains25- Harris was seen to leave the plane in Ontario.26- She was thought to have died in a plane crash27- She was called a witch (by the villagers)28- He was called stupid (by the others)29- Fresh air was believed to be bad for sick people.30- I was made to give details of my bank account.

Change these sentence into the active voice:1. Your money could be put to good use instead of

being left idle in the bank. 2. It is being said that too little money is being spent

by the government on roads.3. Evening dress will be worn.4. The house where the dead man was found is

being watched by the police to prevent it from being entered and the evidence interfered with.

5. Lord Byron is said to have lived on vinegar and potatoes.

6. The referee was being escorted from the football field by a strong police guard.

Passive to Active:ANSWERS1- You should put your money to good use.2- People are saying that the government is

speding too little money on roads.3- People will wear evening dress.4- The police are watching the house where they

found the dead man to prevent anyone from entering it and interfering with the evidence.

5- People say that Lord Byron lived on vinegar and potatoes.

6- A strong police guard was escorting the referee from the football field.

HAVE SOMETHING DONE.2. Gabriella broke her leg six weeks ago but she’s much better

now. In fact the doctors will take the plaster off tomorrow. She will have the plaster taken off tomorrow.3. Since Rowland made a lot of money, he’s not content with

his little cottage, so an architect’s designed him a fine new house .

He has had a fine new house by an architect.4. I hear that Mrs Green didn’t trust her husband so she hired a

detective to follow him!She had him followed by a detective.5. We don’t really know what Shakespeare looked like. I wish

he had asked someone to paint his portrait before he died.He had had his portrait painted. 6. My sister had always been self-conscious about her nose so

she decided to go to a clinic for an operation which will straighten it.

To have it straightened.

IT’S SAID/ BELIEVED/ THOUGHT .......1. People generally assume that money brings

happiness.Money is generally assumed to bring happiness.2. It’s well known that the house has been empty for

years.The house is well known to have been empty for year.3. People said that he was jealous of her.He was said to be jealous of her.4. People believe that he is living abroad.He was believed to be living abroad.5. People believe that she was waiting for the

message.She is believed to have been waiting for the

message.

6. We consider that she was the best singer that Australia has ever produced. (one passive)

She is consider to have been the best singer that Australia has ever produced.

7. At that time, it was believed that illnesses were caused by evil spirits.

At that time, illnesses were believed to be caused by evil spirits.

8. It’s expected that some rain will come soon.Some rain is expected to come soon.