ENGLISH The Passive

GRAMMAR Voice

THE PASSIVE VOICE

INTRODUCTI
ON
The passive of an active tense is formed by putting the verb to be into the same tense as the
active verb and adding the past participle of the active verb. The subject of the active verb becomes the
‘agent’ of the passive verb. The agent is very often not mentioned. When it is mentioned it is
preceded by by and placed at the end of the clause.
Active: My grandfather planted this tree.
Passive: This tree was planted by my grandfather.

PASSIVE VERB TENSES

ACTIVE VOICE PASSIVE VOICE
Present Simple He delivers the letters. The letters are delivered.
Past Simple He delivered the letters. The letters were delivered.
Future Simple He will deliver the letters. The letters will be delivered.
Present He is delivering the letters. The letters are being delivered.
Continuous
Past Continuous He was delivering the letters. The letters were being delivered.
Going to He is going to deliver the The letters are going to be
letters. delivered.
Present Perfect He has delivered the letters. The letters have been delivered.
Past Perfect He had delivered the letters. The letters had been delivered.
Infinitive He has to deliver the letters. The letters have to be delivered.
Modals He must deliver the letters. The letters must be delivered.

1 SIMPL CONTINUOUS PERFECT

E
+ S + am/is/are + Ptp S + am/is/are + being + Ptp S + have/has + been + Ptp

PRESE - S + am/is/are + not + Ptp S + am/is/are + not +being + Ptp S + have/has + not + been +
NT Ptp

? Am/Is/Are + S + Ptp ? Am/Is/Are) + S + being + Ptp ? Have/Has) + S + been + Ptp

?

+ S + was/were + Ptp S + was/were + being + Ptp S + had + been + Ptp

PAST - S + was/were + not + Ptp S + was/were + not + being + Ptp S + had + not + been + Ptp

? Was/Were + S +PtpV ? Was/Were + S + being + Ptp? Had + S + been + Ptp

+ S + will + be + Ptp
FUTUR - S + will + not + be + Ptp
E
? Will + S + be + Ptp ?

+ S + V to be (am/is/are) + going to
+
GOING be + Ptp
TO - S + V to be (am/is/are) + not +
going
to + be + Ptp
? V to be (am/is/are) + S + going to
+
be + Ptp ?
 Short answers
To make short answers:
 we use the verb to be (am/is/are/was/were) for Present Simple, Past Simple, Present
Continuous, Past Continuous and Going To questions.
 we use the verb have (have/has/had) for Present Perfect and Past Perfect questions.
 we use will for Future Simple questions.

USE
The Passive is used:
1. when the agent (=the person who does the action) is unknown, unimportant or obvious
from the context.
Jane was shot. (We don’t know who shot her.)
This church was built in 1815. (Unimportant
agent) He has been arrested. (Obviously by the
police)
2. to make more polite or formal statements.
The car hasn’t been cleaned. (more polite)
(You haven’t cleaned the car. – less polite)
3. when the action is more important than the agent, as in processes, instructions, events,
reports, headlines, new items, and advertisements.
30 people were killed in the earthquake.
4. to put emphasis on the agent.
The new library will be opened by the Queen.

AGENT
To say who did the action that we are talking about, ie. to refer to the agent, we use the preposition
2
by
and the name (by Peter) , noun (by the teacher) or pronoun (by him) at the end of the sentence.
We usually only refer to the agent when it gives us some important information which otherwise
would be missing from the sentence.
Our house was designed by a famous architect.
We don’t mention the agent:
1. if we don’t know who has done what we are talking about.
Our car was stolen last night. (We don’t know who stole it)
2. if we are not interested in who has done what we are talking about or it is not important to
mention it.
He has been taken to hospital. (What we are interested in is the fact that he has been taken
to hospital and not who has taken him.)
3. if it is easy to understand who did something without it being mentioned.
The murderer was arrested last night. (It is not necessary to mention that he has been
arrested by the police because it is self-evident.)
4. if the subject of the active voice sentence is something like somebody, people, they, you,
etc.
Someone broke the window. → The window was broken.

ACTIVE TO PASSIVE
To change a sentence from the active voice to the passive voice:
 the object of the active voice sentence becomes the subject of the passive voice
sentence.
Agatha Christie wrote this book.
This book was written by Agatha Christie.
 we change the main verb of the active voice sentence into the passive voice. The tense
remains unchanged.
 the subject of the active voice sentence becomes the agent of the passive sentence. It
is placed after the past participle and it is preceded by the preposition by.
 ENGLISH The Passive
GRAMMAR Voice
Agatha Christie wrote this book.
This book was written by Agatha Christie.

Leslie took this photograph yesterday.

SUBJECT ACTIVE VERB OBJECT TIME COMPLEMENT

This was taken by Leslie yesterday.

SUBJECT
photograph PASSIVE VERB AGENT TIME COMPLEMENT

BY OR WITH?
In the passive voice, we use:
 by with the agent to refer to by whom the action is being done.
The door was opened by Mr Black. (Mr Blak = agent)
 with to refer to the instrument, object or material that was used for something to be done.
The door was opened with a key. (a key = the object that was used)
The omelette was made with eggs, cheese and peppers. (eggs, cheese and peppers
= the material that was used)

DOUBLE OBJECT VERBS

When we have verbs that take two objects like, for example, give somebody something, we can
convert the active sentence into a passive one in two ways:
a. by making the indirect (animate) object the subject of the passive voice sentence, which is
also the way that we usually prefer.
b. By making the direct (inanimate) object the subject of the passive voice.
Rick gave me (indirect object) this book (direct object).
I was given this book by Rick.
3 This book was given to me by Rick.
Some of the verbs that take two objects are: give, tell, send, show, bring, write, offer, pay, etc.
When the indirect object is alone after the verb in the passive voice sentence, it needs the
preposition to. If the indirect object of the active voice sentence is a personal pronoun it has to be
changed into a subject pronoun to be the subject of the passive voice sentence.

SUBJE OBJEC
CT T
I ←→ me SUBJEC OBJEC
T T
You ←→ you We ←→ us
He ←→ him You ←→ you
She ←→ her They ←→ them
It ←→ it

BIBLIOGRAPHY
- A. J. Thomson and A.V. Martinet, A Practical English Grammar, Oxford University Press, 1986
- V. Evans, Round-Up (English Grammar Practice), Longman, 1995
- M. Carling and S. Jervis, Grammar Time 4, Longman, 2003
- S. Jervis, Grammar Time 5, Longman, 2003
- M. Carling, Grammar Time 6, Longman, 2003
 EXERCISES

1. Complete the sentences with the correct passive form of the verbs in brackets. Use the
Present Simple.
a. English IS SPOKEN (speak) in many countries.
b. The post IS DELIEVERED (deliver) at about 7 o’clock every morning.
c. ISN’T THE BUILDING USED (the building/use) anymore?
d. How often ARE THE OLYMPIC GAMES HELD (the Olympic Games (hold)?
e. How ARE YOU NAME SPELLED (your name/spell)?
f. My salary IS PAID (pay) every month.
g. These cars AREN’T MADE (not make) in Japan.
h. The name of the people who committed the crime AREN’T KNOW (not know).
i. His travel expenses AREN’T PAID (not pay) by his company.

2. Complete the sentences with the correct passive form of the verbs in brackets. Use the
Past Simple.
a. My car (repair) last week.
b. This song WAS REPAIRED (not write) by John Lennon.
c. WAS THE PHONE ANSWERED (the phone/answer) by a young girl?
d. The film WAS MADE (make) ten years ago.
e. When WAS TENNIS INVENTED (tennis/invent)?
f. The car WASN’T DAMAGED (not damaged) in the accident.
g. The original building WAS PULLED (pull) down in 1965.
h. Where WAS THIS POT MADE (this pot/make)?
i. When WAS THIS BRIDGE BUILT (this bridge/build)?
4
3. Choose the correct form of the verbs in
brackets. FIAT
Fiat 0 was started (started/was started) by a group of Italian businessmen in 1899. In 1903,
Fiat,
1 PRODUCED (produced/was produced) 132 cars. Some of these cars
2 WERE EXPORTED (exported/were exported) by the company to the United States and

Britain. In 1920, Fiat 3 STARTED (started/was started) making cars at a new factory at
Lingotto, near Turin. There was a track on the roof where the cars 4 WERE TESTED
(tested/were tested) by technicians. In 1936, Fiat launched the Fiat 500. This car 5 WAS
CALLED (called/was called) the Topolino – the Italian name for Mickey Mouse. The
company grew, and in 1963 Fiat 6 EXPORTED (exported/was exported) more than

300,000 vehicles. Today, Fiat is based in

Turin, and its ARE SOLD (sold/are sold) all over the world.

4. Change the following sentences into passive sentences using the words in brackets.
a. We sell tickets for all shows at the Box Office. (Tickets for all shows/sell/at the Box
Office)

b. Thomas Edison invented the electric light bulb. (The electric light bulb/invent/by Thomas
Edison)
c. Someone painted the office last week. (The office/paint/last week)

d. Several people saw the accident. (The accident/see/by several people)

e. Where do they make these video recorders? (Where/these video recorders/make)

 WHERE ARE THESE VIDEO RECORDERS MADE ?

5. Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice.

a. Someone built this house 200 years ago.
b. A thief stole my purse.

c. The police will arrest the robbers.

d. They produce cars in this factory.

e. They serve breakfast at eight o’clock every day

f. People throw away tones of rubbish every day.

g. They make coffe in Brazil

h. Someone stole Jim’s bike lat night.

6. Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice.

a. They will build a new bridge next year.
A NEW BRIDGE WILL BE BUILT NEXT YEAR

b. Brian Brody directed The Ultimate Space Adventure.

THE ULTIMATE SPACE ADVENTURE WAS DIRECTED BY BRIAN BRODY

c. Pierre Matie will design her costume.

HER COSTUME WILL BE DESIGNED BY PIERRE MATIE

d. Someone found my wallet.

MY WALLET WAS FOUND BY SOMEONE.
5
e. One of the students broke the window.
THE WINDOW WAS BROKEN BY ONE OF THE STUDENTS

f. They will deliver my computer on Monday.

MY COMPUTER WILL BE DELIVERED ON MONDAY.

g. Mary invited Paul to her birthday party.

PAUL WAS INVITED TO MARYS BIRTHDAY PARTY

h. British astronomers discovered a new planet.

A NEW PLANET WAS DISCOVERED BY BRITISH ASTRONOMERS.

7. Form the question.

a. Paper is made from wood. Is paper made from wood ?
b. The telephone was invented by Mr Bell. ?
c. This picture was painted by Peter. ?
d. The thieves will be arrested by the police.
?
e. Champagne is made in France. ?
f. The letters will be sent next week. ?
g. The animals are fed three times a day. ?
h. This article was written by Stanley. ?
 i. CDs are made of plastic. ?
j. The party was organised by Paul. ?

8. Read and complete. Use Past Simple.

a. The toothbrush / invent / in the 15th century.
THE TOOTHBRUSH WAS INVENTED IN THE 15TH CENTURY.

b. The first public basketball game / play / in 1892.

THE FIRST PUBLIC BASKETBALL GAME WAS PLAYED IN 1892.

c. The first eyeglasses / wear / in the 1200s.

THE FIST EYEGLASSES WERE WORN IN THE 1200'S

d. The first bicycle / ride in 1791.

THE FIRST BICYCLE WAS RIDDEN IN 1791.

e. The first hot dog / eat / in the 1860s.

THE FIRST HOT DOG WAS EATTEN IN THE 1860'S.

f. The first CDs / sell / in the 1980s.

THE FIRST CDS WAS SOLD IN THE 1980'S

g. The first electric guitar / play / in 1923.

THE FIRST ELECTRIC GUITAR WAS PLAYED IN 1923

h. The first computer mouse / use / 1964.

THE FIRST COMPUTER MOUSE WAS USED 1964.

6 9. Complete with the passive. Use Present Simple.

a. This programme IS WATCHED (watch) by millions of people.

b. Paper IS MADE (make) from wood.
c. Hundreds of people ARE KILLED (kill) in accidents every year.
d. London IS VISITED (visit) by thousands of tourists every year.
e. The biology class IS TAUGT (teach) by Mr Green.
f. English IS SPOKEN (speak) all over the world.
g. Lunch IS SERVED (serve) at twelve o’clock.
h. Books ARE WRITTEN (write) by authors.

10. Put the verbs in brackets into Past Simple Passive.

Two men (see) breaking into a house in my street last night. The
police
(call) and they arrived very quickly. One man
(catch) immediately. The other escaped, but he (find) very soon. Both
men
(take) to the police station where they
(question) separately by a police officer. The two men (charge) with
burglary.

11. Rewrite the following passage in the Passive.

Somebody has stolen a bus from outside the school. Some children saw the thief. The police
are searching for the bus now. They will use the children’s descriptions to catch the thief.
 ENGLISH The Passive
GRAMMAR Voice
12. Rewrite the following passage in the Passive.
Some people saw a UFO in the sky above London last night. They reported it to the police. The
army sent a helicopter to look at it more closer. The UFO shot the helicopter down and killed
both men in it. People have given photographs of the UFO to the police. Experts are looking at
them now.

13. Rewrite the following passage in the Passive.

Someone broke into a local jewellery shop yesterday. The owner had just locked up the shop
when a robber with a gun threatened him. The robber told him to unlock the shop and give him
all the diamonds in the safe. Then the robber tied him up. The police have organized a search
for the robber. They hope they will find him in a few days. Doctors are treating the owner of the
shop for shock.

A local jewellery shop was broken into yesterday. The shop had just been locked up by the
owner, when he was threatened by a robber with a gun. He was told to unlock the shop and
give the robber all the diamonds in the safe. Then he was tied up. A search for the robber has
been organised by the police. They hope he will be found in a few days. Doctors are treating
the owner of the shop for shock.

14. Rewrite the following passage in the Passive.

My uncle painted this picture. Someone has offered him a lot of money for it. He will deliver the
painting tomorrow. When they give him the money, he will tell them the truth. He painted it one
night while he was sleepwalking!

7
This picture was painted by my uncle. He has been offered a lot of money for it. It will be
delivered tomorrow. When my uncle is given the money, they will be told the truth. It was
painted one night while sleepwalking.

15. Rewrite the following passage in the Passive.

Our school is organizing a contest. The teachers will choose the best project about the
environment. The students must include pictures and drawings in their projects. The students
will also have to do all the writing themselves. The school will give the winner a set of
encyclopaedias.

16. Turn from Active to Passive in two ways.

a. He gave me a present.

b. The waiter will bring us the bill.

c. Her mother bought Mary some sweets.

 d. Bob has sold Ted a second-hand car.
e. Larry is going to send a letter to Tom.

17. Turn from Active to Passive.

a. Someone is helping her with the housework.

She is being helped with the housework

b. The mail-order company sent Mrs Green a parcel.

Mrs Green was sent a parcel by the mail-order company.

c. My friend sent me an invitation.

I was sent an invitation by my friend.

d. The secretary has given Mrs Jones some letters.

Mrs Jones has been given some letters by the secretary.

e. The traffic warden had already given him a ticket for illegal parking.

He had already been given a ticket for illegal parking by the traffic warden.
8
f. John gave Elizabeth that beautiful ring.

That beautiful ring was given to Elizabeth by John.

g. Her students have sent her flowers.

She has been sent flowers by her students.

h. He must give the message to the right person.

The message must be given by him to the right person.

i. We teach our students English and French.

Our students are taught English and French by us.

j. Someone bought flowers for the bride.

Flowers were bought for the bride.

k. They showed the tourists the sights of Athens.

The tourists were shown the sights of Athens.

l. They pay her an excellent salary.

She is paid an excellent salary.

m. They paid the artist £1,000 for his painting.

 The artist was paid £1,000 for his painting.

18. Rewrite these sentences in the passive voice.

1. They sell oysters in the shop next door.

2. They haven’t delivered the food yet.

3. Shakespeare wrote King Lear.

4. They have to answer the questions on this sheet.

5. Has anybody put the cases upstairs?

6. Someone should take this rubbish away.

7. They’ll ask you a lot of questions.

8. Someone’s going to send her some flowers.