Passive

Voice
Presented By Henrique Bateira, Jénifer Guedes and
Margarida Pereira; 11C
 With verbs
followed by
one object
 Active voice

Tom ate a cake.

Subject: Direct
Main object:
“Tom” verb:
“a cake”
“ate”
 Passive voice
A cake was eaten
by Tom.

Subject: Main
Passive Auxiliary verb:
agent verb:
“A cake”
“by
“eaten”
Tom” “was”
 Active/ Passive
A P

Subject+main verb+ direct object Direct object*+auxiliary verb*+

main verb*+ by subject*
*The direct object in the active voice is the
subject in the passive voice; the auxiliary verb
is in the verb tense of the main verb in the
active voice; the main verb is in the past
participle; the subject in the active voice is the
passive agent in the passive voice
 With verbs
followed by
two objects
 Active voice
She gave flowers to Maria

Subject:
Direct Indirect
Main object:
“She” object:
verb:
“flowers” “to Maria”
“gave”
 Passive voice#1

Flowers were given to Maria by her.

Subject: Passive
Auxiliary Main Indirect Agent:
“Flowers” verb: verb: object:
“by her”

“were” “given” “to Maria”

 Passive voice#2

Maria was given flowers by her.

Subject: Passive
Auxiliary Main Indirect Agent:
“Flowers” verb: verb: object:
“by her”

“were” “given” “to Maria”

Verb Tenses
 Tense Active Passive

Present Simple write are written

Present Continuous is writing is being written

Past Continuous was writing was being written

Past Simple wrote was written

Present Perfect have written has been written

Tense Active Passive

Past Perfect had written had been written

Future Simple will write will be written

Infinitive has to write have to be written

Modals must write must be written

Conclusion
 Rules:
change the object of the active into the
subject of the passive;

use the auxiliary verb “to be” in the same

tense as the main verb;

write the main verb of the active sentence

in the past participle;

change the subject of the passive into de

agent (by+...) of the passive or omit if it’s
unimportant, unknown or obvious.
 Exercise #1
1. Complete the sentences with the correct
verb tenses

a): Tom flew a plane.

A Plane _____ by Tom.
b): She is singing a song
A song _____ by her.
c): Mary gave advice to her mother.
Advice _____ by Mary to her mother
d): The policeman fined her.
She ______ by the policeman.
 Exercise #2
2. Change the sentences to the passive
voice:

a) John drank lemonade

b) She has already told her mother the

secret.

c) Sofia must begin the presentation at 8

a.m.
Thank
You