The Passive Voice with two complements

S P O
You dropped the pen. (The subject performs the action on the object. )

The pen was dropped by you. ( The Subject is suffering the action)
S to be V3 Agent

GENERAL STRUCTURE FOR THE PASSIVE:

S + aux + V3 + BY + AGENT
(To be ) (past participle)

Active Passive
1. DO/ IO Subject
2. The tense of the active verb The tense of the auxiliary
3. The active verb V3 (past participle)
4. Subject BY + AGENT

 Some verbs have 2 objects.

He offered flowers to me. She made a cake for the children.
Flowers were offered to me. A cake was made for the children.
I was offered flowers. The children were made a cake .

Attention 1!
Eg: Somebody cleaned the room. The room was cleaned.
 The agent can be omitted when it is irrelevant, obvious or unknown
Attention 2!
 Only transitive verbs( V+ DO) take the passive.
Eg: eat, write, bring, read, cook etc.
Attention 3!
 MODAL Verbs
Modal + BE + V3: He can’t repair the lock. The lock can’t be repaired.
Modal +HAVE BEEN+ V3: They may have painted the hourse. The house may have been painted.

 Vb + IO + DO
I gave him a watch for his birthday.
Attention 4!
 Verbs like : explain
suggest + DO + IO Verbs like: ask tell
describe show teach + DO + IO
e.g: I would like you to explain this theory to me. sing pay + IO + DO
 Common verbs with FOR + I.O. are: Common verbs with TO + I.O. are:

BOOK BUY GET COOK KEEP GIVE LEND OFFER PASS POST READ
BRING MAKE POUR SAVE FIND SELL SEND SNOW PROMISE TELL

e.g : They booked a table for me at the restaurant. e.g. : He gave his programme to the man sitting next to him.
We made toys for all the children. They sent Christmas cards to all their customers.

TIME FOR PRACTICE!

1. Take a look at the the table below. Turn the following sentences from the active into the passive voice, using the
appropriate verb tense:
Tense
Active Passive

Present simple Ii dau o carte I give him a book 1. A book is given to him
2. He is given a book
Present continuous Ii dau o carte acum.

Present perfect Tocmai i-am dat o

carte.

Past simple I-am dat o carte acum o

luna.

Past continuous Ii dadeam cartea, cand

a sunat telefonul

Past perfect Ii dadusem cartea deja

inainte sa sune
telefonul.

Future simple Ii voi da cartea

Future perfect Ii voi fi dat cartea

inainte de termen

Modals Trebuie sa ii dau cartea