PASSIVE VOICE

Presented by :
1. Toroi Saut J.S

(03101005091)

THERE ARE TWO SPECIAL FORMS FOR VERBS CALLED VOICE:

1. Active Voice
The active voice is the normal voice. This is the voice that we use
most of the time. You are probably already familiar with the active voice.
In the active voice, the object receives the action of the verbs.
2. Passive Voice
The passive voice is less usual. In the passive voice the subject
receives the action of the verbs. The object of the active verb becomes
the subject of the passive verb.
Example :
Active

Passive

Subject

Verb

Object

Adverb

Mrs. Eviliana

Helps

the students

In the classroom

Cats

Eat

Fish

In the garage

The
students

Are helped

By Mrs.
Eviliana

In the classroom

Fish

Are eaten

By cats

In the garage

USE OF PASSIVE VOICE.

Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action.
It is not important or not known, however, who or what is performing
the action.
Example : My bike was stolen.
In the example above, the focus in the fact that my bike was stolen. I do
not know, however,, who did it.
Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than active voice, as
the following example shows :
Example : a mistake was made.
In this case, I focus on thee fact that a mistake was made, but i do not
blame anyone (e.g you have made a mistake)

FORM OF PASSIVE VOICE

In the writing sentences in form of passive voice. We needed to know the
general form is :
Subject + fenite form of to be + past participle (3rd column of
irreguler verbs)
Example : A letter was written
When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following :
a.The object of the active sentence become the subject of the passive

sentence
b.The fenite form of the verb is changed (to be+past participle)
c.The subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive

sentence

EXAMPLE OF PASSIVE
Tense

Form

Subject

Verb

Object

Adverb

Simple
Present

Active

Tia

Sings

a song

Every Tuesday

Passive

A song

Is sung

By Tia

Every Tuesday

Present
Continous

Active

Tia

Is singing

A song

now

Passive

A song

Is being sung

Present
perfect

Active

Rita

Has Written

A letter

3 weeks ago

Passive

A letter

Has been
written

By Rita

3 weeks ago

Simple Past

Active

Rita

wrote

A letter

yesterday

Passive

A letter

Was written

By Rita

yesterday

Past
Continous

Active

Tia

Was singing

A song

When i came

Passive

A song

Was being
sung

By Tia

When i came

Simple future

Active

Tia

Is going to sing

A song

tomorrow

Passive

A song

Is is going to
be sung

By Tia

tomorrow

By Tia

Now

PASSIVE SENTENCES WITH TWO OBJECTS

Rewriting an active sentence with two objects in passive form
means that one of the two objects become the subject , the other
one remains an objects. Which object to tranform into a objects
depends on what you want to put the focus on.
Example :
Form

Subject

Verb

Object 1

Object 2

Active

Rita

Wrote

A letter

To me

Passive

A letter

Was written

To me

By Rita

Passive

Was Written

A Letter

By Rita