CHAPTER 5:

PASSIVE VOICE
(KALIMAT PASIF)
 WHAT IS PASSIVE VOICE?
Passive voice is used to indicate an object
that is subject to action. We (reader) are not
really interested in the doer of the action.
Passive voice is widely used in academic and
scientific writing. In this chapter, we will learn
how to use passive voice appropriately.
 Table of
Contents
Topic 1 Topic 2

Definition of Functions+ rules of

passive voice passive voice

Topic 3 Topic 4
Forms + examples Exercises of passive
of passive voice voice
DEFINITION OF PASSIVE
VOICE
DEFINITION OF PASSIVE VOICE
The passive voice is used to show interest in the person or object
that experiences an action rather than the person or object that
performs the action. In other words, the most important thing or
person becomes the subject of the sentence.
 Active Voice Passive Voice
Tells us what a person or thing Tells us what is done to someone or
does. something
The subject performs the action The subject is being acted upon.
(Verb) on the object

Subject + verb + object object + verb + Subject

Example:
 Anna painted the house.
 The teacher always answers
the students’ questions
 Ali posted the video online
Example:
 The house was painted by Anna
 The the students’ questions are
answered by the teacher
 The video was posted online by Ali
FUNCTIONS+ RULES OF
PASSIVE VOICE
 FUNCTIONS+ RULES OF PASSIVE VOICE-1

Function:
The passive voice is used when we want to emphasize the action (the verb)
and the object of a sentence rather than subject. This means that the
subject is either less important than the action itself or that we don’t know
who or what the subject is.
For instance: My laptop was stolen. (The object – now the subject = My
laptop / action= was stolen)
1. Passive: Napa Valley is known for its excellent wines.
Active: [Many people] know Napa Valley for its excellent wines.

2. Passive: Twenty civilians were killed in the bomb explosion.

Active: Someone killed twenty civilians in the bomb explosion.
.
 FUNCTIONS + RULES OF PASSIVE VOICE-2

Function:

The passive agent

When we know who the subject is, we put it at the end with ‘by’. We call this
an agent.
1. Passive: The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo Da Vinci. (agent
=Leonardo Da Vinci)
2. Active: Leonardo Da Vinci painted the Mona Lisa.
 FUNCTIONS + RULES OF PASSIVE VOICE-3

Rule:

Most writing instructors and editors recommend against using the passive
voice, when possible. The reason for this is that when you use the active
voice, your writing is clearer and less complicated.
If it’s a long sentence and you know who the subject is, it’s best to use the
active voice.
1. Active: While Mr. Taylor was driving down Highway 101, a police officer
pulled him over and gave him a speeding ticket.
2. Passive: While Mr. Taylor was driving down Highway 101, he was pulled
over and given a ticket by a police officer.
 FUNCTIONS + RULES OF PASSIVE VOICE-4

Rule:

The passive is often used to report something or to state a fact.

1. Highway 15 was closed yesterday due to a serious road
accident.
2. A lot of corn is grown in Iowa.
Forms + examples of
passive voice
 Forms + examples of passive voice-1

Forming the passive voice

The passive voice is not a tense in English. Each tense has its own passive
voice which is created by using a form of the auxiliary verb to be + V3 (past
participle)

Passive Voice
Active : S + V + O
Passive : S + Be + PP ( V3ed) + by + O

(tense)
Ex: My father planted this tree last year.
This tree was planted by my
 Forms + examples of passive voice-2

Tense Auxiliary verb + sample V3 Examples

(past participle
A plottwistis made by Raw
Present simple am, is, are + made atthe end ofthat video.
A perfect mustache is owned
by Alfigo Alexbaia
. The important documents are
Present progressive am, is, are + being +sent being sentrightnow.
I am being sentto work inthe
Japan office.
Forms + examples of passive voice-3
Yudi wasinvited to speak atthe
Past simple was, were +invited conference.
We were invited to Daniel and
Mary’s wedding.
. The dog was being washed
was, were + being +washed whenI gothome.
Past progressive Their cars were being washed
while they were
inthe mallshopping.
The contract will be signed
Future (will) will be +signed tomorrow.
The documents will all be signed
bynext week.
Forms + examples of passive voice-4
Future (going to) am, is, are + going to be + built
A bridge is going to be built
within the next two years.
New houses are going to be built
in our neighborhood.

. That start-up has been sold for

has,have + been+sold $5 million.
Present perfect The rights to his book have been
sold for $250, 000.
The new manager had been
Past perfect had + been+hired hired before John left the
company.
All the employeeshad hired
before the store opened.
 Forms + examples of passive voice-5
The car will have been loaded by
Future perfect will+have been+finished the time he gets home.
The crates will have been loaded by
then.
. A passport can only be issued at
can, could + be +issued the embassy.
Modals: can/could He said the documents could be
issued within the week.
A babysitter has to be arranged for
Modal: have to have to,has to,had to + be + this evening.
arranged Joan’s travel planshave to be
arranged by December.
Criminals must be stopped before
Modal: must must+ be +stopped they commit crimes
Exercises of passive
voice
 EXERCISE
Direction:Please change or fill the sentences down below tith ethe correct form of
passive voice.
1. Theytranslated some old documents last week.
2. The important email has been sent by mysecretary.
3. We’ll be visiting our grandmother next week.
4. We can see many beautiful paintings in this exhibition. They were ……. byfamous
Indonesian painter.
5. Two tents for our camping would …….. by my mother.
6. They cancelled all flights because of fog.
7. A well known architect is designing our new office. The passive form of the above
sentence is, Our new office …… by a well known architect.
8. Jupiters four moons ……. through a telescope by Galileo.
9. Somebodyhas turned on the air conditioning.
10.Lucythrew the ball to the child..
Is it clear enough or is
there any question?

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