The PassiveThe Passive

UseUse

►We use a passive sentence when the We use a passive sentence when the subject is obvious or not importantsubject is obvious or not important

Someone wrote a letterSomeone wrote a letter

A letter was written (by A letter was written (by someone)someone)

UseUse

► We often find passive sentences in We often find passive sentences in newspapers, advertisements,reports, newspapers, advertisements,reports, processes, scientific texts or official processes, scientific texts or official announcements, where the subject is usually announcements, where the subject is usually unimportantunimportant

► Some verbs are often used in the passive, Some verbs are often used in the passive, specially in the news, for example:specially in the news, for example:

to be arrested to be killed to be injured …to be arrested to be killed to be injured …

You’ll find more information about them on You’ll find more information about them on the vocabulary extension exercisethe vocabulary extension exercise

Transforming active sentencesTransforming active sentencesExampleExample

Someone wrote a letterSomeone wrote a letter

Subject + verb + objectSubject + verb + object

A letter was written (by someone)A letter was written (by someone)

New subject + verb + agentNew subject + verb + agent

Transforming active sentencesTransforming active sentencesExplanationExplanation

►The object of the active sentence The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the pasive onebecomes the subject of the pasive one

►The subject of the active becomes the The subject of the active becomes the agent in the passive sentence.agent in the passive sentence.

► The agent is introduced by the The agent is introduced by the preposition by and it can often be preposition by and it can often be omitted.omitted.

Forming the passive voice of the Forming the passive voice of the verbverb

►We form the passive form of the verb We form the passive form of the verb with the corresponding form of the with the corresponding form of the verb to be + a past participleverb to be + a past participle wrote – was writtenwrote – was written

Look at the text you have been given and Look at the text you have been given and see how many different examples of see how many different examples of passive sentences in different tenses you passive sentences in different tenses you can findcan find

Complete this chartComplete this chart

►He washes the carHe washes the car►He is washing the carHe is washing the car►He has washed the He has washed the

carcar►He washed the carHe washed the car►He was washing the He was washing the

carcar►He will wash the carHe will wash the car►He can’t wash the carHe can’t wash the car

► The car is washed The car is washed ► The car is ……….The car is ……….► The car has ……… The car has ………

washedwashed► The car ……………..The car ……………..► The car was ……….. The car was ………..

washedwashed► The car will ………….The car will ………….► The car ………………The car ………………

Check the chartCheck the chart

► He washes the carHe washes the car► He is washing the carHe is washing the car► He has washed the carHe has washed the car► He washed the carHe washed the car► He was washing the carHe was washing the car► He will wash the carHe will wash the car► He can’t wash the carHe can’t wash the car

► The car The car is washed is washed ► The car The car is being is being

washedwashed► The car The car has been has been

washedwashed► The car The car was washedwas washed► The car The car was being was being

washedwashed► The car The car will be washedwill be washed► The car The car can’t be can’t be

washedwashed

Sentences with two objectsSentences with two objects

►When the active sentence has two When the active sentence has two objectsobjectsSomeone gave Mary some flowersSomeone gave Mary some flowers

Subject + verb + indirect object + direct objectSubject + verb + indirect object + direct object

► In English, we often place the indirect In English, we often place the indirect object as the subject of the new passive object as the subject of the new passive sentencesentenceMary was given some flowersMary was given some flowers

Get some practiceGet some practice

► You can start with the pair activity the You can start with the pair activity the teacher will soon give youteacher will soon give you

► Then you can fill in some newspapers Then you can fill in some newspapers headlines with some common verbs in the headlines with some common verbs in the passive (vocabulary extension)passive (vocabulary extension)

► At home, you can do the exercises in your At home, you can do the exercises in your workbook. You may ask for some extra workbook. You may ask for some extra material if you need more practice.material if you need more practice.

► For even more exercises or for a better For even more exercises or for a better explanation, go to the grammar section in explanation, go to the grammar section in the blogthe blog

Ana SanchoAna Sancho

April 2009April 2009