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PASSIVE VOICE: First approach
We use the passive voice to focus our attention on the action, or on the person or thing
that is affected by it, and not on the person or thing that performs it.
For example: The meeting was cancelled because of the weather conditions.
Sometimes it is more polite to use a passive sentence than an active one, especially if
we want to say something not very delicate. And we also use it to describe scientific
processes.
For example: A big mistake has been made.
The milk is heated to 150ºC.
To make an active voice sentence passive, we need a transitive active sentence. We
need a direct or indirect object. Sentences with intransitive verbs cannot be transformed
into a personal passive.
For example: It should have been done.
She was given the sack last month.
If we want to rewrite active sentences into the passive voice, we have to make the
following changes:
1. The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
2. The verb becomes to be in the same tense + the past participle of the active verb.
3. The subject becomes the agent of the passive sentence preceded by the
preposition by (or disappears).
For example:
Active:
The polititian carried out the negotiations.
Passive: The negotiations were carried out by the polititian.
Active:
The policewoman will arrest the thieves.
Passive: The thieves will be arrested Ø.
PASSIVE VOICE: Tense changes
Here you can observe the changes in the tenses and in some modals:
Tenses
Present Simple
Past Simple
Future Simple
Conditional Simple
Going to Future
Present Continuous
Past Continuous
Future Continuous
Conditional Continuous
Present Perfect
Past Perfect
Future Perfect
Conditional Perfect
Modals
Can
May
Might
Must
Have to
Should
Ought to
Used to
Active
He tells a joke.
He told a joke.
He will tell a joke.
He would tell a joke.
He is going to tell a joke.
He is telling a joke.
He was telling a joke.
He will be telling a joke.
He would be telling a joke.
He has told a joke.
He had told a joke.
He will have told a joke.
He would have told a joke.
Active
He can tell a joke.
He may tell a joke.
He might tell a joke.
He must tell a joke.
He has to tell a joke.
He should tell a joke.
He ought to tell a joke.
He used to tell a joke.
Passive
A joke is told.
A joke was told.
A joke will be told.
A joke would be told.
A joke is going to be told.
A joke is being told.
A joke was being told.
A joke will be being told.
A joke would be being told.
A joke has been told.
A joke had been told.
A joke will have been told.
A joke would have been told.
Passive
A joke can be told.
A joke may be told.
A joke might be told.
A joke must be told.
A joke has to be told.
A joke should be told.
A joke ought to be told.
A joke used to be told.
PASSIVE VOICE: active sentences with two objects
If we want to rewrite active sentences with two objects into the passive voice, we have
to make some changes and we obtain two different passive sentences:
1. The direct object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive
sentence.
2. The verb becomes to be in the same tense + the past participle of the active verb.
3. The indirect object remains the same.
4. The subject becomes the agent of the passive sentence preceded by the
preposition by (or disappears).
For example:
Active:
John wrote a poem to Mary.
Passive 1: A poem was written to Mary by John.
Or:
1. The indirect object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive
sentence.
2. The verb becomes to be in the same tense + the past participle of the active verb.
3. The direct object remains the same.
4. The subject becomes the agent of the passive sentence preceded by the
preposition by (or disappears).
Active:
John wrote a poem to Mary.
Passive 2: Mary was written a poem by John.
PASSIVE VOICE: notes
Choosing active or passive voice depends on the context. The information known or
previously mentioned, usually appears at the beginning and is in the active voice. New
information often appears at the end of the sentence and, if the agent is not necessary,
is usually in the passive.
For example: Ludwig Van Beethoven wrote the 5th symphony. Many people all
over the world like it a lot. The 5th symphony has been performed in almost all the most
important opera theatres in the world. Nobody doubts that it is really beautiful.
There is a tendency to make long sentences at the end. If the agent is a long sentence,
it will appear at the end, and the passive voice will be essential.
For example: He was operated by one of the most eminent doctors of the
Digestive Ward in the 12 October Hospital in Madrid.
The agent is not necessary in the passive voice in the following cases:
Cases
- When it is unknown or unimportant.
- When it is obvious.
- When referring to people in general.
- To avoid the use of you on official signs.
Examples
Goods were delivered in the afternoon.
Marks will be published on the due date.
Cars are being used more than before.
German is spoken here.