THE PASSIVE VOICE

1. SUBJECT + VERB + DO

Subject Verb D.O

(Active): John opened the windows

(Passive): The windows were opened BY John

How to change a verbal tense into a passive one:

Verb TO BE in
Main verb in
the tense of the
P.PARTICIPLE
active verb. +

ACTIVE PASSIVE
Present simple keeps is kept
Present continuous is keeping is being kept
Present perfect has kept has been kept
Past simple kept was kept
Past continuous was keeping was being kept
Past Perfect had kept had been kept
Future will keep will be kept
Conditional would keep would be kept
INFINITIVE (PRESENT) TO KEEP TO BE KEPT
INFINITIVE (PAST) TO HAVE KEPT TO HAVE BEEN KEPT
GERUND BE GOING TO KEEP BE GOING TO BE KEPT
I am going to write a letter A letter is going to be written by me

2. SUJETO + VERBO + OD + IO

Subject Verb IO DO
(Active): She gave her boyfriend a present

(Passive): Her boyfriend was given a present (by her)

Suject Verb IO DO
(Active): They offered her a good job

(Passive): She was offered a good job (by them)

 3. ESTILO INDIRECTO: PEOPLE SAID THAT…. / “LA PASIVA CON SE”
This type of sentences usually start with some of the following verbs: THINK – SUPPOSE – CONSIDER –
KNOW – BELIEVE – UNDERSTAND – FIND – REPORT – SAY…

There are two ways of doing passive:

1ST TYPE
(Active): People say that she studies French
(Passive-1): It is said that she studies French

2ND TYPE

2º 1º 3º 4º
(Active): People say that she studies French

Subject Vb (passive) Vb (inf=to) Object

(Passive-2): She is said to study French
(SE DICE que ella estudia francés)

IF THE VERB IS IN PAST TENSE OR CONDITIONAL YOU MUST USE THE PERFECT INFINITIVE (TO HAVE + PAST PARTICIPLE)

1ST TYPE
(Active): People believed (that) she worked in a school
(Passive-1): It was believed that she worked in a school

2ND TYPE

2º 1º 3º 4º
(Active): People believed (that) she worked in a school

Subject Vb (passive) Vb (inf=to) Object

(Passive-2): She was believed to have worked in a school
(SE CREE que ella ha trabajado en un colegio)

4. VERB+ PREPOSITION + OBJECT (if the verb goes with a preposition, don’t forget to write it)
(Active): Someone will look after the child.
(Passive): The child will be looked after.
(Active): Someone wrote to my friend.
(Passive): My friend was written to.
PUT INTO THE PASSIVE FORM
1.1. Someone stole my car
...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………

1.2. That boy usually has sweets for lunch

...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………

1.3. Maths interested him

...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………

1.4. He writes poetry

...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………

1.5. We keep the milk here

...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………

1.6. They grow oranges in Spain

...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………

1.7. We are writing a letter

...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………

1.8. They built the house here

...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………

1.9. She broke the window

...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………

1.10. People were always asking me that question

...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………

1.11. We saw wolves in the forest

...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………

1.12. They will ask us several questions

...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………

1.13. He will draw the map

...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………

1.14. We won’t buy food tomorrow

...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………

1.15. I have signed all the letters

...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………

1.16. They had translated El Quijote

...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………

1.17. She would have phoned you

...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………

1.18. He will not dig the garden afterwards

...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………
2. REWRITE EACH SENTENCE SO THAT IT CONTAINS A PASSIVE FORM
2.1. No decision has yet been made (decided)
Nothing ...........……………………………………………………………………………...........…………………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………….....……… yet.
2.2. They haven’t chosen the team yet.
The team...........……………………………………………………………………………...........……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2.3. You must fill in this form
This form ...........…………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………
2.4. My mother gave me a card for my birthday.
I ...........…………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………
2.5. The patient hadn’t been examined carefully
The doctor ...........………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………
2.6. People believe that someone murdered Jenkins
It ...........……………………………………………………………………………...........…………………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………
2.7. They asked John a lot of difficult questions.
John ...........……………………………………………………………………………...........…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………
2.8. They gave Mary some flowers
Mary ...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………
2.9. They offered Jane a wonderful job
Jane …………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………....………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………
2.10. He will give all the children a present
All the children ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………
2.11. Somebody sent me a strange letter
I …………………………………………………………………………….......……………………………......………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………
2.12. They will pay Mrs Jenkins over five hundred pounds.
Mrs Jenkins ………………………………………………………..…………………………..........……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………
2.13. Her parents have promised Ann a bicycle for her birthday.
Ann ……………………………………………………………………………………………………….........……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………
2.14. They gave Madame Curie the Nobel Prize for Chemistry in 1911
Madame Curie ……………………………………………………………………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………
2.15. They didn’t tell us the truth.
...........……………………………………………………………………………...........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………

2.16. It is expected that the strike will end soon

The strike …………..………………………………………………………………………..........…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………
2.17. It is believed that the thieves got in through the kitchen window.
The thieves ……………………………………...………………………………………………....………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………
2.18. It is reported that many people are homeless after the floods.
Many people …………………………………………………………………….…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………
2.19. People thought that the prisoner escaped by climbing over a wall
The prisoner……………………………………………………………………………………………….........………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2.20. It is believed that the company lost a lot of money last year.
The company ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…………………………