Active Voice / Passive Voice

There are two special forms for verbs called voice:

1. Active voice
2. Passive voice
The active voice is the "normal" voice. This is the voice that we use most of the
time. You are probably already familiar with the active voice. In the active voice, the
object receives the action of the verb:
active
subject verb object
>
Cats eat fish.
The passive voice is less usual. In the passive voice, the subject receives the
action of the verb:
passive
subject verb object
<
ish are eaten by cats.
The object of the active verb becomes the subject of the passive verb:
subject verb object
active !verybody drin"s water.
passive Water is drun" by everybody.
Passive Voice
The passive voice is less usual than the active voice. The active voice is the
"normal" voice. #ut sometimes we need the passive voice. In this lesson we loo" at
how to construct the passive voice, when to use it and how to con$u%ate it.
Construction of the Passive Voice
The structure of the passive voice is very simple:
sub$ect & au'iliary verb (be) & main verb (past participle)
The main verb is alwas in its past participle form.
*oo" at these e'amples:
subject
au!iliar verb "to
be#

main verb "past
participle#

+ater is drun" by everyone.
,--
people
are employed
by this
company.
I am paid in euro.
+e are not paid in dollars.
.re they paid in yen/
$se of the Passive Voice
+e use the passive when:
we want to ma"e the active object more important
we do not "now the active subject
subject verb object
%ive importance to active ob$ect
(0resident 1ennedy)
President
%enned
was "illed
by *ee 2arvey
3swald.
active sub$ect un"nown 4y wallet has been &
stolen.
5ote that we always use b to introduce the passive object (ish are eaten b
cats).
*oo" at this sentence:
2e was "illed with a %un.
5ormally we use b to introduce the passive ob$ect. #ut the %un is not the active
sub$ect. The %un did not "ill him. 2e was "illed b somebody with a %un. In the
active voice, it would be: 6omebody "illed him with a %un. The %un is the
instrument. 6omebody is the "a%ent" or "doer".
Conju'ation for the Passive Voice
+e can form the passive in any tense. In fact, con$u%ation of verbs in the passive
tense is rather easy, as the main verb is always in past participle form and the
au'iliary verb is always be. To form the re7uired tense, we con$u%ate the au'iliary
verb. 6o, for e'ample:
present simple: It is made
present continuous: It is bein' made
present perfect: It has been made
2ere are some e'amples with most of the possible tenses:
infinitive to be washed
simple
present It is washed.
past It was washed.
future It will be washed.
conditional It would be washed.
continuous present It is bein' washed.
past It was bein' washed.
future It will be bein' washed.
conditional It would be bein' washed.
perfect simple
present It has been washed.
past It had been washed.
future It will have been washed.
conditional It would have been washed.
perfect continuous
present It has been bein' washed.
past It had been bein' washed.
future It will have been bein' washed.
conditional It would have been bein' washed
Passive Voice ( )!ercise with Au!iliar Verbs
*ewrite the sentences in passive voice.
,. I can answer the 7uestion.
88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
9. 6he would carry the bo'.
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
:. You should open the window.
88888888888888888888888888888888888888888
;. +e mi%ht play cards.
<88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
=. You ou%ht to wash the car.
8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
>. 2e must fill in the form.
<8888888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
?. They need not buy bread.
88888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
@. 2e could not read the sentence.
888888888888888888888888888888888888888
A. +ill the teacher test our !n%lish/
88888888888888888888888888888888888888
,-. Could Benny loc" the door/
888888888888888888888888888888888888888888
Active to Passive Voice
1. They make shoes in that factory.
Shoes _________________________ in that factory.
2. People must not leave bicycles in the driveway.
Bicycles ______________________ in the driveway.
3. They built that skyscraper in 13!.
That skyscraper ________________ in 13!.
!. The students will finish the course by "uly.
The course ___________________________ by "uly.
#. They are repairin$ the streets this month.
The streets _________________________ this month.
%. They make these tools of plastic.
These tools ____________________ of plastic.
&. They have finished the new product desi$n.
The new product desi$n ___________________________________
'. They were cookin$ dinner when ( arrived.
)inner _______________________ when ( arrived.
. Smithers painted *+ed Sunset* in 1'%.
*+ed Sunsets,_____________________ in 1'% by Smithers.
1-. )id the plan interest you.
________________________ in the plan.
11. They had finished the preparations by the time the $uests arrived.
The preparations _______________ by the time the $uests arrived.
12. /ou should take care when workin$ on electrical e0uipment.
1are _________________ when workin$ on electrical e0uipment.
13. They are $oin$ to perform Beethoven*s 2ifth Symphony ne3t
weekend.
Beethoven*s 2ifth symphony __________________ne3t weekend.
1!. Someone will speak "apanese at the meetin$.
"apanese _________________________________ at the meetin$.
1#. 4aren is $oin$ to prepare the refreshments.
The refreshments _____________________________ by 4aren.
A+,W)*,:
,. .re made
9. 4ust not be left C mustnDt be left.
:. +as built
;. +ill be finished
=. .re bein% repaired
>. .re made
?. 2as been finished
@. +as bein% coo"ed
A. +as painted
,-. +ere you interested
,,. 2ad been finished
,9. 6hould be ta"en
,:. Is %oin% to be performed
,;. +ill be spo"en
,=. .re %oin% to be prepared