In the passive, the object of an active verb

Active: (a) Mary

helped

the boy.

becomes the subject of the passive verb:

verb

object

the boy in (a) becomes the subject of the

Subject

passive verb in (b).

Passive: (b) The boy

was helped

by

Mary.

Notice that the subject of an active verb

follows by in a passive sentences. The noun

Subject

verb

that follows by is called the agent. In (b):

Mary is the agent.

Sentences (a) and (b) have the same

meaning.

Passive:

be +
(c) He

past participle

is

helped

was

helped

Form of the passive: be + past participle

by her.
He

by

her.
He

will be

helped by

her.

Active: (d)

An accident

happened.

Only transitive verb (verbs that can be

followed by an object) are used in the

Passive: (e)

(none)

passive. It is not possible to use intransitive

verbs (such as happen, sleep, come, seem,

die,) in the passive.

Active vs. Passive

Active

Passive

(a) simple present

Mary helps

The boy

(b) present

the boy

by Mary

progressive

Mary is helping

(c) present perfect *

boy

(d) simple past

Mary has helped

(e) past progressive

boy

by Mary

(f)

Mary helped

The boy

(g) simple future

the boy

by Mary

(h) be going to

Mary was helping

The boy

(i)

the boy

by Mary

Mary had helped

The boy

the boy

by Mary

Mary will help

The boy

the boy

by Mary

past perfect *

future perfect *

Mary is going to help

the

The boy

is

helped

is being

helped

has been

helped

was

helped

by Mary
the

the

The boy

The boy

was being

helped

had been

helped

will been

helped

is going to be

helped

boy

by Mary

Mary will have helped

The boy

the boy

by Mary

will have been helped