Grammar / Active and Passive

A ctive and Passive

Active

Most of the time we use the active and say who is doing the action (ie the subject). However, sometimes it’s not important who does it e.g.

People use pens for writing.

Passive

It’s obvious that it is ‘people’ that write so we don’t need to say ‘people’ and we can rewrite the sentence:

Pens are used for writing.

Subject verb object

Active People use pens for writing

Passive Pens are used for writing

The passive is often used in formal situations and frequently used in academic writing.

Making the passive

• You need to change the ‘be’ verb depending on the tense.

• You need to change the verb to the past participle

Passive – Be + Past Participle

Active	Passive	Form
People use pens	Pens are used	Is/are + PP
People used pens	Pens were used	Was/were + PP
People are making pens	Pens are being used	Is / are being + PP
People were making pens	Pens were being used	Was /were being + PP
People have used pens	Pens have been used	Has/have been + PP
People had used pens	Pens had been used	Had been + PP
People will use pens	Pens will be used	Will be + PP
People must use pens	Pens must be used	Must be + PP
People should use pens	Pens should be used	Should be + PP
People can use pens	Pens can be used	Can be + PP
People are going to use pens	Pens are going to be used	Be going to be + PP

Exercises

Change the following sentences to the passive.

1. They persuaded the lecturer to give them an extension.

2. Someone has done research on the issue.

3. The lecturer is marking the assignments at the moment.

4. In this essay, I will examine the process of negotiation amongst Norwegians.

5. You may choose more than one topic to discuss.

6. He presents the facts in several different ways.

7. They must change the management style of the company.

8. We can see that it is easy to use the passive.

Are these sentences correct or not? If they are wrong, correct them.

9. This paper is also offered an explanation of the reasons for global warming.

10. The lunch is included sandwiches.

11. A great deal of research has being done.

12. Forensic science is often considered as a silver bullet for criminologists.

13. The birthrate was increased by 2.4%

14. Evolution may be defined as an adaptation to the environment.

15. The experiment is consisted of several parts.

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Answers

1. The lecturer was persuaded to give them an extension.

2. Research has been done on the issue.

3. The assignments are being marked at the moment. (by the lecturer)

4. In this essay, the process of negotiation amongst Norwegians will be examined.

5. More than one topic to discuss may be chosen.

6. The facts are presented in several different ways.

7. The management style of the company must be changed.

8. It can be seen that it is easy to use the passive.

9. Wrong - This paper offers an explanation… (Active necessary as ‘the paper’ is the subject)

10. Wrong – The lunch includes sandwiches (Active necessary as ‘the lunch’ is the subject)

11. Wrong – A great deal of research has been done (Careful not to confuse ‘it is being done’ with ‘it has been done’. ‘Being’ means it’s in progress at a point)

12. Correct

13. Wrong – The birthrate increased by 2.4% (Passive necessary, as nobody increased the birthrate, it happened by itself)

14. Correct

15. Wrong – The experiment consists of several parts (Active necessary as ‘the experiment’ is the subject.