Use of Passive

Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is not important or not known, however, who or what is performing the action. Example: My bike was stolen. In the example above, the focus is on the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not know, however, who did it. Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than active voice, as the following example shows: Example: A mistake was made. In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was made, but I do not blame anyone (e.g. You have made a mistake.).

Form of Passive
Subject + finite form of to be + Past Participle (3rd column of irregular verbs) Example: A letter was written. When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:

the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle) the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is dropped)

Examples of Passive Level: lower intermediate

Tense Active: Passive: Active: Simple Past Passive: Active: Present Perfect Passive: Active: Future I Passive: Active: Hilfsverben Passive: Simple Present Subject Rita A letter Rita A letter Rita A letter Rita A letter Rita A letter Verb Writes is written Wrote was written has written has been written will write will be written can write can be written Object a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita.

Examples of Passive Level: upper intermediate

Subject Active: Rita Present Passive Progressive A letter : Active: Rita Past Progressive Passive A letter : Active: Rita Past Perfect Passive A letter : Active: Rita Future II Passive A letter : Active: Rita Conditional I Passive A letter : Active: Rita Conditional II Passive A letter : Tense Verb is writing is being written was writing was being written had written had been written will have written will have been written would write would be written would have written would have been written Object a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita.

Passive Sentences with Two Objects Level: intermediate

Rewriting an active sentence with two objects in passive voice means that one of the two objects becomes the subject, the other one remains an object. Which object to transform into a subject depends on what you want to put the focus on. Subject Rita A letter I Verb wrote was written was written Object 1 a letter to me a letter Object 2 to me. by Rita. by Rita.

Active: Passive: Passive: .

As you can see in the examples, adding by Rita does not sound very elegant. Thats why it is usually dropped.

Personal and Impersonal Passive

Personal Passive simply means that the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. So every verb that needs an object (transitive verb) can form a personal passive. Example: They build houses. Houses are built.

Verbs without an object (intransitive verb) normally cannot form a personal passive sentence (as there is no object that can become the subject of the passive sentence). If you want to use an intransitive verb in passive voice, you need an impersonal construction therefore this passive is called Impersonal Passive. Example: he says it is said Impersonal Passive is not as common in English as in some other languages (e.g. German, Latin). In English, Impersonal Passive is only possible with verbs of perception (e. g. say, think, know). Example: They say that women live longer than men. It is said that women live longer than men. Although Impersonal Passive is possible here, Personal Passive is more common. Example: They say that women live longer than men. Women are said to live longer than men. The subject of the subordinate clause (women) goes to the beginning of the sentence; the verb of perception is put into passive voice. The rest of the sentence is added using an infinitive construction with 'to' (certain auxiliary verbs and that are dropped). Sometimes the term Personal Passive is used in English lessons if the indirect object of an active sentence is to become the subject of the passive sentence.

Exercise on Passive
Rewrite the sentences in passive voice. 1. I confirm the reservation. 2. We will deliver the goods immediately. 3. We arranged a meeting. 4. You can cancel the contract within five business days. 5. They execute all orders carefully. 6. You have made a mistake. 7. We are processing your order. 8. Jane had booked a flight.

9. He has not answered our letter. 10. She did not sign the contract.

The Canterville Ghost

Chapter I
When the American, Mr Otis, bought Canterville Castle, everyone told him that this was very foolish, as the place was haunted. But Mr Otis answered, I come from a modern country, where we have everything that money can buy. And if there were such a thing as a ghost in Europe, we would have it at home in one of our museums. A few weeks later, on a lovely July evening, Mr Otis, his wife and their children, Washington, Virginia and the twins, went down to their new home. When they entered the avenue of Canterville Castle, the sky suddenly became dark and a spooky stillness was in the air. Mrs Umney, the housekeeper, led them into the library of the castle, where they sat down and began to look around. Suddenly, Mrs Otis saw a red stain on the floor just by the fireplace and said to Mrs Umney, I am afraid something has been spilt there. Yes, madam, said the old housekeeper in a low voice, blood has been spilt on that spot. How terrible, said Mrs Otis; I don't want any blood-stains in my sitting-room. It must be removed at once. The old woman smiled and answered, It is the blood of Lady Eleanore de Canterville, who was murdered on that spot by her husband, Sir Simon de Canterville, in 1575. Sir Simon disappeared seven years later. His body has never been found, but his ghost still haunts the Castle. The bloodstain is a tourist attraction now and it cannot be removed. That is all nonsense, said Washington, the eldest son of the Otis family, stain remover will clean it up in no time, and he took a bottle of stain remover out of his pocket and cleaned the spot. But as soon as the blood-stain had disappeared, a terrible flash of lightning lit up the room and a fearful peal of thunder made the whole building shake.

Exercise on Tenses in Summaries - Part 1

Summary - The Fellowship of the Ring (J.R.R. Tolkien)

Summaries are usually written in present tense. Simple present is the most important tense in summaries. But other tenses are important,too. Decide whether to use simple present, simple past, present perfect, conjunctive or passive voice. Use the long forms. The Fellowship of the Ring (be) the first book of J.R.R. Tolkien's The Lord of the Rings trilogy, which (set) in a fictive world, Middle Earth. It (tell) the story of Frodo, a hobbit, and a magic ring. As the story (begin) , Frodo (give) a magic ring. The wizard Gandalf then (tell) him of the Rings of Power and of Sauron, the Dark Lord, who (make) the Master Ring to rule all other Rings. Gandalf (advise) Frodo to leave home and keep the ring out of Sauron's hands who already (send) his Black Riders in search for it. Frodo's ring (give) Sauron the power to enslave Middle Earth.

Exercise on Tenses in Summaries - Part 2

Summary - The Fellowship of the Ring (J.R.R. Tolkien)

Summaries are usually written in present tense. Simple present is the most important tense in summaries. But other tenses are important,too. Decide whether to use simple present, simple past, present perfect, conjunctive or passive voice. Use the long forms. Frodo (leave) the shire with three travelling companions: Sam, Merry and Pippin. First they (know/not) that the Dark Riders (pick up) their trail already. But soon the four friends (find out) about that. They (have) a few encounters with the Dark Riders which Frodo and his friends (can) only just escape. In one attack by the Dark Riders, however, Frodo (wound) badly. Still, his friends (manage) to escape with him. Travelling on, they (reach) the country of the elves. There Frodo (heal) by Elrond, an half-elven.

Exercise on Tenses in Summaries - Part 3

Summary - The Fellowship of the Ring (J.R.R. Tolkien)

Summaries are usually written in present tense. Simple present is the most important tense in summaries. But other tenses are important,too. Decide whether to use simple present, simple past, present perfect, conjunctive or passive voice. Use the long forms. A council then (decide) that the ring (must / destroy) and (send) nine individuals, the fellowship of the ring, to the Cracks of Doom to fulfil this task. The group (travel) through the lands of Hollom and finally (come) to the mines of Moria. There they (have to) fight against orcs and a demon of flames called Balrog. Fighting Balrog on the bridge of Khazad-Dum, Gandalf (save) his friends. Gandalf himself, however, (drag) into the depths by the demon. The others (manage) to escape. When Boromir, one of the fellowship, (try) to steal the ring, Frodo (realise) that he (have to) continue on his own. His dear friend Sam, however, (want/not) to let him go alone. So he (accompany) him and eventually the two of them (reach) the evil land of Mordor.