The Passive Voice

Cristina Morales GranadoCurso 2011/2012

What is a passive?

A passive voice sentence puts the object or receiver of the action into the subject position.

Passive voice (present simple)

Affirmative sentences

Active voice

Alicia eats an apple

Passive voice receiver

An apple is eaten by Alicia

How do we form the passive?

Active voice:

Subject + verb + object (Alicia) + (eats) + (an apple)

Passive voice:

subject + to be + past participle + by + agent

Don’t forget!!

The verb “to be” ALWAYS has to appear in passive voice.

The verb “to be” takes the same time that the principal verb has in active voice.

Negative sentences

Active voice

Alicia doesn’t eat an apple

Passive voice

An apple isn’t eaten by Alicia

How do we form the negative passive?

Active voice

Subject + not + verb + object

Passive voice

Subject + not (n’t) + to be + past participle + by + agent

Interrogative sentences

How do we turn interrogative active into interrogative

passive?Active voice

Does Alicia eat an apple?

1.Put in affirmative:

Alicia eats an apple

STEP BY STEP

2. Now write it in passive voice:

An apple is eaten by Alicia.3. Finally, put it into interrogative form.

Is an apple eaten by Alicia?

This is the passive form of: Does Alicia eat an apple?

Now it is your time

1. How do you transform from an active sentence in past simple to a passive sentence in past simple? Examples, try in affirmative, negative and interrogative sentences.

Yes, you can!