PASSIVE VOICE

WHAT IS VOICE? WHEN DO WE USE PASSIVE VOICE?

VOICE IS the grammatical Passive voice is mainly used:
FORM
relation (active or passive) of a. When the action or the
We form the passive using BE (in an appropriate tense) +
the grammatical subject of a result of the action is more important
PAST PARTICIPLE of a transitive verb.
verb to the action that the than the person or thing that
In the active sentence the person or thing that
verb denotes. performs it.
performs the action usually comes first:
WHAT IS PASSIVE VOICE? b. When the agent is unknown
SUBJECT /AGENT ACTION RESULT
The passive voice is used to or obvious.
indicate that the grammatical c. When the agent is a long She cleaned the room yesterday
subject of the verb is the phrase. In passive sentences the result of the action comes first
recipient (not the source) of d. When we want to make a statement and becomes the subject of the sentence
the action denoted by the verb. impersonal SUBJECT (RESULT) ACTION AGENT
e. In rules and orders The room was cleaned yesterday by her

THE AGENT
In most passive sentences we have no REPORTING VERBS
VERBS WITH TWO OBJECTS IN THE We often use reporting verbs with impersonal
interest in who
ACTIVE VOICE passive constructions.
or what performs the action.
Verbs that have two objects in the active “Some people think he stole the money”(Active)
We mention the agent when we think that
usually have two passive forms. There are two basic constructions:
the information is important. In this case it
“I sent her a present” (Active voice) a. It + passive verb+ that
is usually introduced with BY.
“She was sent a present” “It is thought that he stole the money”
“Hamlet was written by Shakespeare”.
“A present was sent to her” b. Subject+ passive verb+ TO infinitive.
“He is though to have stolen the money”

CAUSATIVE STRUCTURE
THE CAUSATIVE HAS THE MEANING OF 'SOMEONE” CAUSING SOMEONE ELSE
TO DO SOMETHING'. In English there are two basic causative structures THE VERBS USUALLY USED FOR THE CAUSATIVE ARE:
a. AN ACTIVE ONE GET (which gives an idea of persuasion)
“She got her sister to do the washing up”
SOMEONE + GET (ANY TENSE) + SOMEBODY+ TO DO SOMETHING HAVE (which implies asking and persuasion too)
+ HAVE (ANY TENSE) + SOMEBODY+ DO SOMETHING “I had my husband drive me to the airport”
“ + MAKE (ANY TENSE) + SOMEBODY + DO SOMETHING “He had his secretary sign the papers”
MAKE (which implies forcing or convincing someone to
“I had my mum do my hair” /“ I’m going to make my secretary type the do something for you)
letters / “ He’s going to get her boyfriend to paint her bedroom” “Anna made Peter tidy his room”
“He made me pay the check”
b. PASSIVE ONE LET (allow)
SOMEONE + HAVE OR GET (ANY TENSE) SOMETHING + DONE+ BY “I’ll let you drive my car”
SOMEBODY ELSE
“He wouldn’t let her go”

“ I had my hair done". /“ They are going to have their house

redecorated”
1. IDENTIFY HE FOLLOWING SENTENCES: ACTIVE
(A) PASSIVE (P) CAUSATIVE ACTIVE (CA)
CAUSATIVE PASSIVE (CP).

1. An accident was reported last night. ____ P

2. I had my brother paint my room. ____ CA
3. The children are going to draw some animals.___ A
4. I’m having my kitchen redecorated_____ A
5. I got my friend to redecorate my kitchen,____ A
6. Ann rejected my wedding invitation._____A
7. He is believed to have committed the murder.___P
8. The thief was caught by the police.___P
9. Digital TV was invented in the 1960s.___P
10. We had our heating repaired yesterday.___CP
11. My son was given a new bike for his birthday.____A
12. It is said she is a very good swimmer.____A
13. The students handed in their essays
yesterday.____CP
 3. TRANSFORM THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES INTO THE PASSIVE.
1. The staff gave him a worm welcome.
a.A worm welcome was given by the staff____
2. My mother bought him a new car
a.A new car was brought to him by my mother
3. The company offered them a pay rise
a.A pay rise was offered to them by the company
4. She showed Mary her new bedroom.
a.Her new bedroom was showed to mary by she _
5. Helen paid him a lot of money for his job
a.A lot of money for this job was paid to Helen _

4. CAUSATIVE REWRITE THESE SENTENCES USING HAVE OR GET.

1. The mechanic revised my car. I have a mechanic to revise my car
2. The hairdresser did my hair in a completely different style. _I had my hair in a completely different style _
3. The teacher checked my exam a second time. I get the teacher to check my exam a second time
4. A friend is going to repair my computer next week. I have a friends to reapir my computer next week _
5. My skirt is being shortened. ____ I had my skirt shortened
6. Somebody stole my wallet yesterday. I had my wallet stolen yesterday
7. My new book is going to be translated to French. I had my new book translated to French
8. My room was painted last month. I had my room painted last month

5. CHOOSE THE CORRECT OPTION

1. I'm going to have Mike _ my computer to see what is wrong. 6. Julie will not let her daughter __ that boy
a) look at b) to look at c) looked at a) marry b) to marry c) married
2. I'll let you ________ my car. 7. I had my wallet ________ yesterday.
a) to drive b) drive c) driving a) stolen b) stole c) to steal
3. I ________ her and apologize. 8. Do you want me to help you ________?
a) made him to call b) made him called c) made him call a) to pack b) packing c) pack
4. All the wine_______ 9. I had my shopping ______this morning
a) drunk b) were drunk c) was drunk a) to deliver b) delivered c) deliver
5. His father _____him 1 million pounds 10. Have your assistant ______ these letters immediately
a) was left b) left c) leave a) to send b) to be sent c) send