What happened?

DOER

Miss Leung took Brians book.

(Subject)

DOER

Brians book was taken by Miss Leung.

(Object)
 What happened?
DOER

Miss Leung took Brians book.

(Subject)
Emphasis more
RECEIVER DOER
IMPORTANT
Brians book was taken by Miss Leung.
(Subject) (Object)
 What happened?
DOER

Miss Leung took Brians book.

(Subject)

RECEIVER DOER

Brians book was taken by Miss Leung.

(Subject) (Object)
 What happened?
DOER

Miss Leung took Brians book.

(Subject)

RECEIVER DOER

Brians book was taken by Miss Leung.

(Subject)
 Passive Voice
What are you going to learn?
1. When to Use Passive Voice
2. Structure of Passive Verbs
3. Passive Verbs in Tenses
1. When Do We Use Passive Voice?

A. When the RECEIVER of an action is

the EMPHASIS
B. When it is NOT NECESSARY to
mention the DOER of an action
C. When the DOER of an action is NOT
KNOWN
 1.A. When the RECEIVER of the
action is the EMPHASIS
Example:

Look! A mermaid is found by the fishermen!

What is the main

message of the sentence?
As the emphasis is on the mermaid,
we start the sentence with A
mermaid to attract readers
attention to the receiver of the
action.
 Now lets watch a video.

Example:

This table is reserved for Hong Kong people.

As the emphasis is on the table, we

start the sentence with This table to
attract readers attention to the
receiver of the action.
 1.B. When it is NOT NECESSARY
to mention the DOER of the action
Example:
I was born in August.
Is it necessary to mention
WHO gave birth to you?
(Who else would it be if not your
mom??!!)
As the doer of the action is
understood, we can omit it and
start the sentence with the receiver
of the action, i.e.I.
 1.C. When the DOER is NOT
KNOWN
Example:

Miss Leungs diamond ring was stolen!!

Who stole the ring?

We do not know who stole
the diamond ring.
So, the doer is not known. Instead of starting
the sentence with somebody, i.e.,
Somebody stole Miss Leungs diamond
ring, we can omit the doer of the action and
start the sentence with the receiver of the
action, i.e., Miss Leungs diamond ring.
2. Structure of Passive Verbs
Syntactic Structure
ACTIVE ----------------------- PASSIVE
e.g. eats ----------------------- is eaten
i.e. verb ----------------------- be + p.p.

Note: be is changed according to

the tense of the sentence

the number (singular/plural) of the subject of the

sentence.
 3. Passive Verbs in Tenses
3.1 Present Tenses

Tenses Active Passive

Present - Simple -eats -is eaten
- Continuous -is eating -is being eaten
- Perfect -has eaten -has been eaten
3.2 Past Tenses
Now, try to complete the following table:

Tenses Active Passive

Past - Simple -ate
- Continuous -was eating
- Perfect -had eaten
 ANSWERS

Tenses Active Passive

Past - Simple -ate -was eaten
- Continuous -was eating -was being eaten
- Perfect -had eaten -had been eaten
3.3 Future Tenses
Please complete the following table:

Tense Active Passive

Future - Simple -will eat
 ANSWERS

Tense Active Passive

Future - Simple -will eat -will be eaten
 Practice
Now, rewrite the sentences below by using
passive voice.

1. The janitor cleans our classroom every day.

2. Japan exported millions of cars last year.
3. Mr. Chan will feed his dog on canned food.
 ANSWERS
1. Our classroom is cleaned (by the
janitor) every day.
2. Millions of cars were exported from
Japan last year.
3. Mr. Chans dog will be fed on canned
food.
 Activity

What is Different?
 Players
Each group chooses 1 member as the
player.
All players come to the front of the room
and look carefully around the room.
Now, would the players leave the room and
stay outside for a moment?
 Action!
Each group takes turn to make a change to
objects in the room.
e.g. clean the blackboard,
close the window.
 Welcome Back!

Now, lets invite the players to come back

and try to find out what have been changed.
 What is different?
Dear players,
8 changes have been made to objects in
the room.
Check what have been changed.
Report to the class in complete passive
voice sentences.
e.g. The door has been closed.
1 mark for each correct observation.
Time Limit: 8 mins
Relevant Web-Sites
http://www.english4us.com
http://www.telenex.hku.hk
You HAVE BEEN TAUGHT:
when to use passive voice
 Congratulations!!
You HAVE BEEN TAUGHT:
when to use passive voice
how to form passive verbs

Give yourselves a BIG BIG

HAND!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(Passive or ACTIVE??????)