Passive and Active VoicesPassive and Active Voices

Unit Smart Servants.Grammar File.

Part 1Part 1

When it is more important to draw our attention to the person or thing acted upon than who or what is performing the action = To make the object of the active verb more important

When do we use it?When do we use it?

Penicillin

Active voice: Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin

Passive voice:was discovered

in 1928

Alexander Fleming

in 1928

by

When it is more important to draw our attention to the person or thing acted upon than who or what is performing the action = To make the object of the active verb more important

When do we use it?When do we use it?

The victim

Active voice: A person attacked the victim

Passive voice:

was attackedin the middle of the street in the morning.

a person

in the middle of the street in the morning.

by

When the agent is unknown in Catalan/ French/ Spanish … we use a special passive construction called …

When do we use it?When do we use it?

En aquesta botiga els venedors parlen rus.

We speak English =

Es parla rus.

English is spoken by us

La passiva

reflexa

The passive sentenceThe passive sentence

ACTIVE VOICEACTIVE VOICE

Active Subject

Active Verb

Direct Object

Shakespeare wrote many sonnetsmany sonnets

byPassive Verb

Passive Subject

Agent

PASSIVE VOICEPASSIVE VOICEwere (= van ser) written (=escrits)

by

• SubjectSubject: Person or object that suffered/enjoyed the results of an action.

• The verb "to beto be" in the tense the action occurred.

• The Past Participle Past Participle of the verb that represents the action itself.

• Whatever complementscomplements that verb needs. • In a few special cases we can also use byby + the agentagent.

Structure of the sentenceStructure of the sentence

WAS

DISCOVERED

to BEBE gives us the tense of the action

the principal verb is always in Past ParticiplePast Participle

THE PASSIVE VERBTHE PASSIVE VERBto BE (in the active tense) + Past Participle (main verb) to BE (in the active tense) + Past Participle (main verb)

ACTIVE PASSIVE

She wants an ice-cream An ice-cream is wanted

He sent a letter A letter was sent

We will buy a new car next week A new car will be bought

They have cut the grass The grass has been cut

Structure of the verbStructure of the verb

TENSES EXAMPLES

Present Simple Pigs are often used to find truffles

Present Continuous My house is being redecorated at the moment

Present Perfect I have never been given flowers on my birthday

Past Simple This picture was painted by Picasso

Past Continuous When I saw him he was being followed by the police

Past Perfect She was angry because she had already been told three times

Future Simple When you get there everything will be finished

Going to - Future They are not going to be easily convinced

Conditional Simple You would be punished if they found out

Conditional Perfect If you hadn’t told them would I have been invited?

Part 2:Part 2:

The passive sentenceThe passive sentenceACTIVE VOICEACTIVE VOICE

Active Subject

Active Verb

Direct Object

Indirect Object

The cinema academy gave a prize ManelManelto

byDirect Object

Passive Verb

Passive Subject

Agent

PASSIVE VOICEPASSIVE VOICEwas given by

• Verbs like: Believe, Think, Consider, Say, Report, Know, Expect, Feel, Understand, Find

More passive stuffMore passive stuff

Subject + verb passive + subordinate active verb in INFINITIVE.

People think that Hèctor lives in Canillo = Active

It is thought is thought that Hèctor lives in Canillo.Hèctor lives in Canillo.

Hèctor Hèctor is thought is thought to live to live in Canillo.in Canillo.

= anticipatory “it” sentence

To live in AndorraTo live in Andorra is beautiful is beautiful

is beautiful is beautiful to live in Andorra.to live in Andorra.It = To live in AndorraIt = To live in Andorra

ItIt

Xavier Xavier is is saidsaid to have started to have started the fire.the fire.

People say that Xavier started the fire = Active + action in the past

= anticipatory “it”It is said is said that he started the fire he started the fire (action in the Past)

(action in the Past)

People know that Gemma is a good skier.= Gemma _______________________ to be a good skier.

People think that Aldara is a good martial-art fighter.= ____________________ Aldara is a good martial-art fighter.

= anticipatory “it”

1/They built this housethis house in 14662/ This house This house was built was built in 1466

1/ Channel islanders speak French & EnglishFrench & English2/ French & English French & English is spoken is spoken by Channel islanders

1/ This book will change your lifeyour life2/ Your life Your life will be changed will be changed by this book

ExamplesExamples

1/ They have cut the grassthe grass2/ The grass The grass has been cuthas been cut

1/ My mother is going to give meme a present2/ I I am going to be given am going to be given a present by my mother1/ Susan wrote an e-mail to himto him1/ He was written was written an e-mail by Susan

ExamplesExamples

1/ They can’t answer your questionyour question2/ Your question Your question can’t be answeredcan’t be answered

1/ Someone had to take her her to hospital after this2/ She had to be takenhad to be taken to hospital after the crash

1/ They shouldn’t allow the children the children to do these things 2/ The children The children shouldn’t be allowed shouldn’t be allowed to do these things

1/ 1/ SomeoneSomeone must tell must tell him him if we want him to knowif we want him to know2/ 2/ He He must be told must be told if we want him to know

More examplesMore examples

• GETGET is used instead of BEBE with passive meaning. Informal English.

I got stuck in a traffic jamShe is getting married

• After NEEDNEED/WANTWANT the -ing form can be used with passive meaning

This job needs doingThat room wants cleaning

More passive stuffMore passive stuff

• HAVE/ GET somethingsomething done: Arranging for or paying for somebody to do something for you. (Get is more informal).

He had his hair his hair cutShe got her carpet her carpet cleanedWe have had our car our car mendedThey had got their book their book translated

More passive stuffMore passive stuff

HAVE + HAVE + ObjectObject + + Past ParticiplePast Participle