THE PASSIVE VOICE

PASSIVE FORMULA:

In order to put a verb into the passive, we need to follow this easy formula:

BE (IN THE CORRESPONDING TENSE) + PAST PARTICIPLE OF THE MAIN VERB

Ex: Present Simple passive (EAT) … AM/IS/ARE + EATEN

Past Simple passive (PLAY) ……. WAS/WERE + PLAYED

Present Perfect passive (DO) ….. HAS/HAVE BEEN + DONE

Going to Future Passive (SEND) ... IS/ARE GOING TO BE + SENT

And so on and so forth.

NOTE: ONLY TRANSITIVE VERBS CAN BE PUT IN THE PASSIVE, i.e., THOSE
TAKING AT LEAST A DIRECT OBJECT.

ACTIVE TO PASSIVE:

The boys were eating the cake

Subject Active verb Direct Object

The cake was being eaten by the boys

Passive subject Passive verb Agent

NOTE: THE AGENT, WHEN EXPRESSED, IS NORMALLY A PERSON PRECEDED

BY THE PREPOSITION BY. SOMETIMES, ESPECIALLY WHEN THE AGENT IS A
THING/OBJECT/TOOL, THE AGENT CAN BE INTRODUCED BY THE PREPOSITION
WITH. Ex: A stone broke the window ----- The window was broken with a stone.

USE OF THE PASSIVE:

Compared to Spanish, in English the passive is so much more used for a number of
reasons:

- When we want to emphasize the action, not the person doing it.
 Ex: Tests were carried out to prove the theory by experts.
- When in Spanish we find an impersonal sentence or a case of PASIVA
REFLEJA.
Ex: Lo mataron en la Guerra --- He was killed in the war.
Las tiendas se abren a las 9 --- Shops are opened at 9.

AGENT OMISSION:

In many cases the agent is omitted in English for a number of reasons:

- When it is obvious or understood from the context.

Ex: The defendant was sent to prison (by the judge)
- When the active subject is an empty word ( PERSONAL PRONOUNS,
INDEFINITE PRONOUNS – someone, everyone, etc- THE WORD
PEOPLE), i.e., a word which doesn´t add any relevant information.
Ex: They broke the bottle --- The bottle was broken (by them)
People call him names --- He is called names (by people)

But, The janitor locked the front door --- The front door was locked by the
janitor.
- When it is unknown or irrelevant.
Ex: The house was built in 1956.
- When the important thing is the action, not the agent.
Ex: The new president was elected last month.

DOUBLE PASSIVE:

While in Spanish it is only possible to use the ACTIVE DIRECT OBJECT as PASSIVE
SUBJECT, in English both DIRECT and INDIRECT OBJECTS can become PASSIVE
SUBJECTS.

Ex: They sent him a gift

IO DO

1. A Gift was sent to him (Le fue enviado un regalo)

2. He was sent a gift (*** Él fue enviado un regalo)

COMPLEX PASSIVE:

In English, when we have a compound active sentence introduced by a REPORTING

VERB (say, believe, tell, think, claim, declare, etc), we can have two possible passive
versions.

Ex: People say that he lives in a luxury mansion.

 1. IT IS SAID THAT he lives in a luxury mansion.
2. HE IS SAID TO LIVE in a luxury mansion.

Ex: They thought that he killed the president.

1. IT WAS THOUGHT THAT he killed the president.

2. HE WAS THOUGHT TO HAVE KILLED the president.

Ex. They say he won the prize.

1. IT IS SAID THAT he won the prize
2. HE IS SAID TO HAVE WON the prize

CAUSATIVE PASSIVE:

HAVE/GET (in the right tense) + OBJECT + PAST PARTICIPLE (of the main verb)

We use this structure to express things that we don’t do ourselves but somebody else
does for us. In other words, we ask somebody to do something for us.

Ex: We had/got our house painted (by the painters) = Nos pintaron la casa.

Ex: I will have/get my car repaired (by the mechanic) tomorrow = Me arreglarán el
coche mañana.

Ex: I always have/get my elegant clothes made by a famous designer = Siempre me

hace la ropa elegante un diseñador famoso.

Though peculiar, as it is a passive structure, an agent is always possible to include.

NOTE: WE ALSO USE THE CAUSATIVE PASSIVE TO EXPRESS SOMETHING

UNPLEASANT HAPPENING TO US, IN WHICH CASE WE CAN ONLY USE THE
FORM HAVE.

Ex: Last night I had my car stolen = Anoche me robaron el coche.

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PRACTICE TIME

1.- Turn the following sentences into the PASSIVE VOICE. Give all possible
alternatives.

1 We clean the garages every day.

2 Someone has given him a lot of money.

 3 The police arrested two hundred people.

4 Paul wrote the words and John made the music.

5 We check every car engine thoroughly.

6 We export this computer to seventy different countries.

7 They thought that thieves stole the painting.

8 They send two million books to America every year.

9 Did he give you enough sugar?

10 No-one has ever taught the pupils to do that exercise.

11 John Hughes built the biggest sand castle in the world.

12 They showed me the palace where the king lived.

13 Has anyone ever asked you to tell the story?

14 They watered the plants and swept the floor in my absence.

15 They say that Real Madrid will win the UCL

16 Fortunately, they did not damage the machinery.

2.- Turn the sentences into the ACTIVE VOICE.

- Sean is thought to be a wonderful actor.

- We were told to wait here.

- Portuguese has always been spoken in this village.

- Nothing was said about the accident.

- I had my car repaired by the mechanic last week.

- His grandfather was killed in the Civil War.

- AIDS viruses have been looked into by American scientists.

- She was being laughed at.

- Rajoy was asked a lot of embarrassing questions by the audience.

- Ten songs were chosen by the students.

- He was believed to be the greatest hero of all times.

 - It was rumoured that he was dating another girl.

3.- Transform the following sentences using a CAUSATIVE PASSIVE structure.

- Anaya published my first novel.

- The maid will clean my room.

- Someone had stolen my car when I arrived.

- They are dry-cleaning my wedding dress.

- They replaced the four wheels in my Ferrari.

4.- Fill in the blanks with the correct form of the

verb. Use active or passive voice.

1. A lot of old songs ____________________ on the radio

last week. (PLAY)
2. The President ____________________________ about the
coup in Central America. (JUST
INFORM)
3. If I ____________________ you I wouldn't go to the
meeting. (BE)
4. The bank manager told me that the house
________________________ for. (NOT PAY)
5. I _________________________ the guitar since I was in
nursery school. (PLAY)
6. Margie is very happy because she
__________________________ an engagement ring
from her boyfriend. (JUST RECEIVE)
7. I _______________________ after the children while the
garage ________________________ .
(LOOK , REPAIR)
8. When Jane came to the office, she found out that her
boss ________________________ .
(ALREADY LEAVE)
9. Please don't interrupt us. We ____________________ an
important conversation. (HAVE)
10. I reported to the police that my stamp collection
_______________________ the week
before. (STEAL)
11. A short time after the pedestrian
_______________________ by the car the ambulance
____________________ . (HIT, ARRIVE)
12. When Mr Kennel entered the room, emails
________________________ by his assistants.
(TYPE)
13. Dad ________________________ for over three weeks.
(NOT SMOKE)
14. He normally ____________________ up on his own but
yesterday he ____________________
by his mom. (WAKE, WAKE)
15. They usually ____________________ visitors at the
hospital. (NOT ALLOW)
16. All the houses in our street _______________________
every year during the Christmas
season. (DECORATE)
17. India _______________________ independence in 1947.
(GRANT)
18. They _______________________ in southern Italy since
the end of the war. (LIVE)
19. I ______________________ a car by the garage so that I
could drive home. (GIVE)
20. Tom's father is an excellent athlete. He
____________________ some sort of sport every
day. (DO)

5. Turn the sentences into the passive.

1. Someone will attend to you later.

2. I don't remember Jack giving me the tickets.

3. We must do something before the situation gets

out of control.

4. You can hear the music in all sections of the

stadium.
5. The company employs five people.

6. They are going to buy a new TV set next week.

7. My great grandfather built this house 60 years ago.

8. My sister gave me the key so I could get in.

9. Nobody said anything.

10. A loud noise woke me up last night.

11. How do you prepare such a dish?

12. I don't like someone lying to me.

13. She solved all her problems.

14. After a while she found out they hadn't told her the
truth.

15. The outstanding performance impressed her.

16. You mustn't put the leftovers back in the fridge.