1.6. Passive Voice.

Rule.

The Passive is formed by using the appropriate tense of the verb

to be + Past Participle.

	Active Voice	Passive Voice
Present Simple	They repair cars.	Cars are repaired.
Present Continuous	They are repairing the car.	The car is being repaired.
Past Simple	They repaired the car.	The car was repaired.
Past Continuous	They were repairing the car.	The car was being repaired.
Future Simple	They will repair the car.	The car will be repaired.
Present Perfect	They have repaired the car.	The car has been repaired.
Past Perfect	They had repaired the car.	The car had been repaired.
Future Perfect	They will have repaired the car.	The car will have been repaired.
Modals	You must repair the car.	The car must be repaired.

Rule.

The Passive is used:

1. When the agent (the person who does the action) is unknown, unimportant or obvious from the context.

E.g. My car was stolen yesterday. (unknown agent).

The read repairs were completed last week. (unimportant agent).

The kidnappers have been arrested (By the police – obvious agent).

2. To make statements more polite or formal.

E.g. My new suit has been burnt (It’s more polite then saying “You’ve burnt my suit”).

3. When the action is more important than the agent (in news reports, formal notices, instructions, headlines, advertisements, etc.).

E.g. Taking pictures is not allowed. (written notice).

The local bank was robbed this morning. (news report).

4. To put the emphasis on the agent.

E.g. The Tower of London was built by William the Conqueror.

Rule.

We use by + agent to say who or what did the action. We use with +instrument or material to say what instrument or material the agent used.

E.g. He was knocked down by a lorry. (The lorry did the action).

The door was locked by a man with a key. {The key is the instrument the agent used.)

The cake was made with flour, sugar find eggs (Flour, sugar and eggs are the material's the agent used.)

We put the agent (=person who performs the action) into the passive only if it adds information. When the agent is unknown, unimportant or obvious from the context, it is omitted. Agents such as: someone, people, I, you, etc are omitted.

E.g. Macbeth was written by Shakespeare (The agent is not emitted; it adds information.)

Somebody took my pen. My pen was taken (by somebody). (unknown agent; it is omitted).

1. Rewrite the sentences in the Passive.

1. The pop star sang the song.

E.g. The song was sung by the pop star.

2. The chef hasn’t made the dinner.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

3. An explorer has found a dinosaur.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

4. Mrs Gates will look after the baby.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

5. Jenny didn’t break the window.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

6. Someone is using a computer.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

7. Many people speak English.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

8. The doctor had already told him to go on a diet.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

9. The author is writing a new book.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

10. They won’t take him home after party.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

2. Turn the following question into the passive.

1. Do they make bread in this factory? …Is bread made in this factory?...

2. Will Susan decorate the bedroom tomorrow?

………………………………………………………………………………. .

3. Did they find the ring in the garden?

………………………………………………………………………………. .

4. Is Tom drawing the picture?

………………………………………………………………………………. .

5. Has Simon sent the invitations yet?

………………………………………………………………………………. .

6. Had Paul repaired the door before he left for work?

………………………………………………………………………………. .

2. Rewrite the sentences in the passive.

1. They will not deliver the new sofa on Friday. E.g. The new sofa will not be delivered on Friday.

3. You can use this saucepan for cooking spaghetti.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

4. I have to finish my homework tonight.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

5. You must tidy your bedroom.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

6. The boss gave the secretary some letters to type.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

7. We should eat this cake immediately.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

8. Sally sent Peter a birthday card.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

9. The cat is not chasing the mouse.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

10. Do they produce oil in Spain?

………………………………………………………………………………. .

3. Fill in the Passive in the appropriate tense, then justify the use.

unknown agent, unimportant or obvious agent, polite statements , action more important than the agent, emphasis on the agent, news report, process

1. (animals /shouldn’t / feed)

E.g. Animals shouldn’t be fed. - polite statements.

2. (Hamlet / write / Shakespeare)

………………………………………………………………………………. .

3. (just / tell /the bad news)

………………………………………………………………………………. .

4. (dinner / serve)

………………………………………………………………………………. .

5. (the building / destroy / fire)

………………………………………………………………………………. .

6. (juice / make / from orange)

………………………………………………………………………………. .

7. (a bomb / place / station / yesterday)

………………………………………………………………………………. .

8. (the room / not tidy / yet)

………………………………………………………………………………. .

4. Fill in “by” or “with”.

1. The window was broken …with… a hammer.

2. He was knocked down ………. a car.

3. The lion was shot ………. a rifle.

4. That novel was written ………. D. H. Lawrence.

5. The garden was dug………. a spade.

6. The city was attacked ………. the enemy.

7. The pudding was made ………. fruit and chocolate.

8. He was hit ………. a handbag.

9. The picture was painted ………. Jackson Pollack.

10. The house was built ………. wood and bricks.

5. Turn from Active Into Passive.

1. An expert is restoring the antique car.

E.g. The antique car is being restored by art expert. 2. Steven Spielberg has directed a lot of successful films.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

3. The judge has fined him £300.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

4. A number of reporters will meet the professors at the airport .

………………………………………………………………………………. .

5. A famous designer is going to redecorate the President's house.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

6. The Romans founded Bath in the first century AD.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

7. A nightmare woke Mary up.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

8. Muslims celebrate Ramadan.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

9. Van Gogh painted “Sunflowers”.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

10. Astronauts are exploring space.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

6. Turn from Active into Passive. Omit the agent where it can be omitted.

1. They kill elephants for ivory.

…Elephants are killed for ivory. …

2. Homer wrote the “Iliad”.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

3. People chop down a lot of trees every year.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

4. The government will introduce new measures against crime.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

5. Someone has burgled Ann's house.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

6. She offered me a cup of tea.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

7. They check passports at Passport Control.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

8. A million people visit the cathedral every year.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

9. Someone has stolen Mike's bicycle .

………………………………………………………………………………. .

7. Turn from Active into Passive.

1. The ancient Greeks built me Acropolis.

E.g. The Acropolis was built by the ancient Greeks.

2. Martin is writing the company report this year.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

3. Somebody will clean the room tomorrow.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

4. They put fresh flowers in the hotel rooms every day.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

5. Bad weather may delay your flight.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

6. They gave Sandy a present.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

7. They think the President is dying.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

8. The bomb destroyed the building.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

8. Turn from Passive into Active.

1. He was nil by a falling brick.

E.g. A falling brick hit him.

2. She was employed by an international company.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

3. This essay was written by Sandra.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

4. The burglar might have been arrested.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

5. He has been sent a parcel.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

6. Roger was seen to leave.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

7. The kidnappers are known to have left the country.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

8 The exhibition will be opened by the mayor.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

9. It is hoped that the economy will improve.

………………………………………………………………………………. .

Chapter 2