PASSIVE VOICE

Only transitive verbs (those with an object) can be made passive.

The passive is used in:

Impersonal statements: ------------------ Students are asked not to
smoke
Unknown agent: --------------------------- My bike has been stolen!
Obvious agent: ---------------------------- Mr Jones will be arrested!
How something was done ---------------The box was opened with a
knife.

We use “by” + the person, only when we have the name or the title
of the person.

The book was written by James Joyce

The book was signed by the President.

REMEMBER: you don't change the tense when you transform an

active sentence into a passive one.

SIMPLE PRESENT ----------------------- IS/ARE + PAST PARTICIPLE

SIMPLE PAST ------------------------ WAS / WERE + PAST PART.

PRESENT CONTINUOUS -------------- IS/ARE BEING + PAST PART

PAST CONTINUOUS ---------------- WAS/ WERE BEING + PAST PART.

FUTURE SIMPLE -------------------- WILL BE + PAST PARTICIPLE

GOING TO -------------------- GOING TO BE + PAST PART.

PRESENT PERFECT ----------------- HAVE/HAS BEEN + PAST PART.

PAST PERFECT --------------------- HAD BEEN + PAST PART.

MODAL ------------------------------- MODAL + BE + PAST PART.

You have to work with the following pattern

BE + PARTICIPLE
Let´s see a very simple example to understand this topic.

James is eating an apple

Tense : present continuous

Subject : James
Object : an apple

So, “an apple” is going to be the subject

An apple ………………………………..

Now, I need to put the verb “be” into the present continuous
( am/is/are + V”ing”)
An apple is being………………………….

Now, I use the participle for the main verb ( eat )

An apple is being eaten by James ( I add “by James only if it is

necessary )

Let´s work with present simple

James eats an apple

An apple IS EATEN ( by James )

Now change the following sentences using passive voice

James ate an apple

James will eat an apple

James should eat an apple

James has eaten an apple

James is going to eat an apple

James was eating an apple

SENTENCE TRANSFORMATION

Put these sentences into the passive, starting with the words given.
Add “by” only when it is relevant.

1- Thomas Edison invented the light bulb.

The light bulb
________________________________________________

2- Scientists are building a new space satellite.

A new space satellite ______________________________

3- They design new cars every year.

New cars________________________________________

4-Bill Gates developed the “Windows” programs for computers.

The “Windows” programs for computers
_________________________

5- They must test all new drugs.

All new drugs _________________________________

6- The machine exploded while they were testing it.

The machine exploded while it
_______________________________
7- They should give that inventor the Nobel Prize.
That inventor _______________________________________

8- They will find a cure eventually.

A cure ___________________________________________

Rewrite the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to

the first sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word
given. Use between two and five words.

1- You have to clean the engine once a week. HAS

 The engine __________________________________ once a
week.
2- They are going to build a new model of car next year. BE
A new model of car ____________________________ next year.

3- The price of the computer includes a number of games.

INCLUDED
A number of games __________________________ in the price
of the computer

4- The government didn’t allow him to manufacture his machine.

ALLOWED
He ___________________________________ his machine.

5- Shops are not selling as many cassettes these days. SOLD

No so many cassettes _____________________________ these
days.

6- Visitors to the museum are not allowed to touch the exhibits.

MUST
The exhibits ___________________________________ visitors.

7- American scientists have just designed the world’s most

intelligent robot. BEEN
The world’s most intelligent robot __________________________
American scientists.

PASSIVE VOICE

1- The teacher will send you out if you keep on talking. BE

You ___________________________________________ if you keep on
talking

2- They are going to transfer him to Portugal. BE

He ______________________________________________________ to
Portugal

3- They gave him a gold watch when he retired. GIVEN

He ________________________________________________ watch when
he retired

4- They are opening a new restaurant this evening. IS

A new restaurant __________________________________________ this
evening

5- They have already finished building the new block of flats. HAS
The new block of flats ______________________________________ built
Extra practice

1- An editor will check the article. BE

The article ___________________________________________ an editor.

2- The traffic warden might give you a ticket in you park here. BE
You _____________________________________________________ by
the traffic warden if you park here.

3- A lot of men enjoy football. IS

Football _________________________________________________ a lot
of men.

4- The teacher has given the students their homework. HAVE

The _____________________________________________ their
homework.

5- They are accusing Mark of robbing the documents. IS

Mark __________________________________________________robbing
the documents

6- They are going to preview the film tomorrow. GOING

The film ____________________________________________ tomorrow.

7- They built the cathedral in the 14th century. BUILT

The cathedral _____________________________________________ 14 th
century

8- They gave the little boy a new bicycle. GIVEN

The little boy ___________________________________________ bicycle.

9- Someone is repairing the road around town. BEING

The road around _______________________________________________

10- The officers took the suspect to the station for questioning. TAKEN
The suspect _______________________________________________ for
questioning by the officers.