Passive Forms

Adlina Hazwani binti Rosli

2018802248
 What is the passive voice?
 A sentence generally begins with the performer of the action
(subject), then the verb, then the object or person that the
action is performed on - Active Sentence.

Subject + verb + object

John cleaned his room.

 If we begin the sentence with the object or person that the

action is performed on, we formulate a passive sentence.

Object + verb + by subject

The room was cleaned by John.

 Note:
 Not all verbs in English take an object. Therefore, some
sentences are complete without an object.

 e.g: 1. John slept well

2. John lives far away

 This type of sentence cannot be changed into Passive Form.

 When should we use the passive
voice?
1. We do not know who the subject is, or it is not important
who the subject is

 Active Form: Somebody cleaned the room.

 Passive Form: The room was cleaned.

2. When it is obvious to the listener or reader who the subject is

because it is the person who usually does it

 Active Form: The cleaner cleaned the room.

 Passive Form: The room was cleaned.
 How to formulate passive voice?
To formulate a passive sentence:
I. Put the object of the verb at the beginning of your
sentence
II. Conjugate the verb “to be” in the same tense as the active
sentence
III. Put the main verb in the Past Participle form

Active Form: - The postman delivers the mail.

- Somebody stole the money.

Passive Form: - The mail is delivered (by the

postman).
- The money has been stolen.
 NOTE:
1. If you want to mention the subject in a passive sentence,
use by:

- My room is being painted by the decorator.

2. If the active sentence begins with no one or nobody, the

passive sentence will be negative:

- Active Form: No one turned on the light

- Passive Form: The light was not turned on.
3. If there is a preposition between the verb and the object,
the preposition will remain after the verb.

- Active Form: They talked about the issue.

- Passive Form: The issue was talked about.
The passive voice of different tenses
 The passive of other structures
 In structures containing the to-infinitive:
e.g: to do – to be done

Active Passive
be going to I’m going to do it. It’s going to be done.

Have to I have to do it. It has to be done.

Used to I used to do it. It used to be done.

 In expressions containing gerunds:
- being + past participle
e.g: He avoids being seen.
She doesn’t like being photographed.
 Person in object position
 We can also formulate passive sentences with a person in
the object position.

Active Form: Somebody pushed me.

Passive Form: I was pushed.

 Some sentences have both an object and a person in the

object position.

Active Form: Someone handed me a note.

Passive Form: I was handed a note.
A note was handed to me.