I

1
'J<.,"1\c' \()l ('C IS uscd \\hen th e fo cu s IS Oil !li c :1ct1on ,, IS no t irnrortant or not kll O\\ll.
/i, '\h \ ,'r \\ ho or "lwt 1:-. pcrfonn111 f-! the ac t10n .
I , amp le \1 y b1kc \\as stolen

Form of PassiH
,\ 1i[,_Jl'C t · fin1 fe form nr 10 he , Past P;i r11 c1pk

I '<dfl11)k · .-\ le1tcr \\::I S w rittrn .

\ \ hl'n rC\\n ting ::ic tIve se11tc11 ces 111 passi\'c voice, note the follo wi ng:
tlił'nhJcct ol' the ::icli\ t' sentencc becom es th e sub.1 ect of th e passive sentence
:k• f1n1 tc l'orrn of the verbi s changed (w be + past parti cipl c)
!he :-.u b_1cct of the ac ti ,·e sentence becomcs th e obj(.-:ct of the passive sentence (or is dropped)

hmnp!es of Passive

Tense Subject Verb Object

writes a letter.
Simple Az:tivc: Rita
Prc-sent
JJassil'e : A letter is written by Rita.

Si mple Past Ai.:tivc: Rita wrote a letter.

J>assive : A letter was written by Rita.

Present Active.· Rita has written a letter.

Perfecl' . by Rita .
Pa.nfre: A letter bas been written

Actii'c: Rita will write a letter.

Future I

J>assil'e: A letter \.\~Il be written by Rita .

Actirc Rita aletter.

Hilfsverben can wTite

Pmsive.· A letter by Rita.

can be written

E l:-tmpłrs of Passivr

Subject Verb Object

Tense

iswriting
a lctter.
Present Ac!il'e· Rita
 P r·og ,·<':-- si ,·c /J <l.\S il 'C: A lctter by Rił a .
i s be1n g w ritten

Past A crii·c .- Rita a lette r.

was w rili11 g
P,-og n 'ssive
J> ([ SS I l 'C: A le tt e r wa s h e in g written by Rita .
Pas t Pcdcc-t A e t n ·c · Rita a \etter .
had wrille n
/ 'o s.,in:: A letter by Rita
had bec n w ritten

Pa~,ivc Sc n tcnccs w ilh Two Objct'ts

Rcwnl11 l g an :1ct1Ve se11i e11 c c w1th t vvo obj ects in pa ss ivc vo ic e rn ea ns th at one o f th e two
ol'.ied:, b,xomes t he s ubject_ th e oth e r 0 11 e re nrnin s an object. \\i\i ich obJ ect to trnnsform into
<1 ::,uh,::.>~'t dcpends on what :vo u w ant to put th e t<)cus o n .

Subj ect Verb Object I Object 2

wrote a letter to me .
.-{Cli I -~,. Rita

/ ', l \.\'/ I 'l' .' A letter was writte n to me by Rita.

was written a letter by Rita.

Perso1.1a l and lmpersonal Passive

!\ nona/ />assii'c simply means t hat the ob_j ec t o f t he ac tive sente nce becomes th e subject of
th .~pAss1ve sent(;nce. So every ve rb that needs an object (transitive ve rb) can for m a persona\
pas::-,1, ·e .E xampl e: Th ey build houses - Houses are built ·
\ 'erbs wi thout a n o ~ject (intransiti ve v erb) no rmally can not for m a personal µa ssive sentence .
lf vo u '1-Va ni to use an intrnnsi tive verb in passive voice_you need a.n impersonal
cons1ruc tion therefo re this p,issive is call ed lmpcrsona/ J\ 1ssive Example: he 'says it is
said

L\a1nple: They say rhat vvo men live longer than men. It is said that \VOmen live longer
drnn men.

,'\Jrho ugh lmpe1;wma/ J>assil'e is ross i błe here, J>ersonul J>m·sire is more common.
F\,miple: They say that worn en li ve longi;; r than men - \Vo men are said to live longer th an
men
The sub;cc t of tl1c subordinate da ust; ( vvomen) goe~ to the begi nning of the sentence~the
v,~ rb ofperception is put into passive voice. The rest of th e sentence is added usin g an
rnl1nitn·e constrncti on vvi th 'to' (certain auxil ia1y vcrbs and rhcu are dropped).
Sorne1imes th e term J>crsonal Passire is used in Engl ish lessons if the indirect object of an
dctivc sent~nce is to be.come the subJect of the passive sentence.