Download the passive

THE PASSIVE
•
They give all newborn babies a vaccination in hospital
 All newborn babies are given a vaccination in hospital. /
 A vaccination is given to all newborn babies in hospital.
•
My neighbour’s dog bit me yesterday.
 I was bitten by my neigbour’s dog yesterday.
•
I waited patiently while they were examining my little brother.
 I waited patiently while my little brother was being examined.
•
Your temperature will be taken by a nurse.
 A nurse will take your temperature.
•
This medicine can be prescribed only by a doctor.
 Only a doctor can prescribe this medicine.
•
She was recommended a specific surgery for her operation.
 They recommended her a specific surgery for her operation.
PASSIVE VOICE VERB
ACTIVE VERB
Present Simple: try / tries
Present Continuous: is trying
Past Simple: tried
Past Continuous: was trying / were trying
Present Perfect: have tried / has tried
Will: will try
Be going to: is / are going to try
Modal verbs:
Can: can try
Must : must try
PASSIVE VERB: be + Past Participle
is tried / are tried
is being tried / are being tried
was tried / were tried
was being tried / were being tried
have been tried / have been tried
will be tried
is / are going to be tried
Modal verbs:
can be tried
must be tried
PASSIVE VOICE STRUCTURE
SUBJECT + ACTIVE VERB + OBJECTS + ADVERBIALS
PASSIVE SUBJECT + PASSIVE VERB + ADVERBIALS + (AGENT)
Jake passed me an excellent film about racial gangs
An excellent film about social gans was passed to me by Jake
Jake passed me an excellent film about racial gangs
I was passed an excellent film about social gangs by Jake
PASSIVE VOICE
Leaving out the AGENT
• We don’t know it:
Someone stole our garden furniture last summer
Our garden furniture was stolen last summer
• It is not important or it is obvious.
The builders built our house in two years.
Our house was built in two years
• A translation of our “Pasiva Refleja” or “Impersonal”
Cars are rented
(Se alquilan coches)
Links
• Grammar Zone
• Presentation and exercises on the passive voice
• Passive Quiz