THE PASSIVE VOICE

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WHEN DO WE USE THE PASSIVE FORMPassive voice is used when the focus is on the action. You

might use it in the following cases:1. The actor is unknown: The Altamira paintings were made in the

Upper Paleolithic. [We don't know who made them.]

2. The actor is irrelevant: An experimental cure for cancer will be tested on humans. [We are not interested in who is building it.]

3. You want to be vague about who is responsible: Mistakes were made in the process. [Common in bureaucratic writing]

4. You are talking about a general truth: Rules are made to be broken. [By whomever, whenever.]

5. You want to emphasize the person or thing acted on: Penicillin, the first true antibiotic, was discovered by Alexander Fleming,.

6. Passive voice is often preferred in lab reports and scientific research papers: Sodium is mixed with water to produce hydrogen gas.

THE PASSIVE FORM

TENSE CHANGES IN THE PASSIVE VOICE

PASSIVE SENTENCE WITH TWO OBJECTS

SUBJECT AND OBJECT PRONOUNS

INFINITIVE CONSTRUCTIONS AFTER PASSIVE VERBSAfter reporting verbs such as: acknowledge, assume, believe, claim, consider, say, know, understand, report, etc. The same idea can be expressed by using the passive in two different ways:

People said that he stole the bank

People believe he is dating an actress

It was said that he stole the bankHe was said to have stolen the bank

It is said he is dating an actressHe is said to be dating an actress

They knew that I was losing money

They report that she is going to get married soon

It was known that I was losing moneyI was known to have been losing money

It is reported that she is going to get married soon She is reported to be going to get married soon

SPECIAL CASES:SUPPOSE PASSIVE FORMYou are supposed to know how to drive

It is your duty to know how to drive

MAKE

He made us workI saw her go out yesterday

We were made to goShe was seen to go out yesterday

LET

He let us go out We were allowed to go out

CAUSATIVE PASSIVE1. She is

having her hair cut

2. She got her tooth filled

3. I will have my car repaired.

You often pay someone to do the job for you!

THE PASSIVE USED IN DAILY LIFEQUOTATIONS( Writers love the passive voice!)

IT IS USED IN NOTICES

NEWSPAPER HEADLINES

FOR RULES AND REGULATIONS

IN PROVERBS

TO EMPHASIZE OR TO AVOID RESPONSIBILITY (used by businessmen, governments or public figures)

NOWTHE PASSIVE MUST BE LEARNT !