2The passive: structure

109/02/2002 The passive: structure

When the subject is the receiver of the action, the verb is said to be passive.

2 The passive: structure2.1 When the subject is the doer of the action, t

he verb is said to be active. e.g. John wrote the

note.

e.g. The note was written by John.


Present simpleActive: Bf/Vs/Ves

Passive: am/are/is + p.p.

Past simpleActive: Ved/saw

Passive: was/were + p.p.

They clean the room every day.

The room is cleaned every day.

He broke the window yesterday.

The window was broken yesterday.


Future simple

Active: will + Bf

Passive: shall/will + be + p.p.

Present continuous

Active: am/are/is + ing

Passive: am/are/is + being + p.p.

He will do the project tomorrow.

The project will be done tomorrow.

They are cleaning the room now.

The room is being cleaned now.


Past continuous

Active: was/were + ing

Passive: was/were + being + p.p.

Present perfect

Active: have/has + p.p.

Passive: have/has + been + p.p.

They were cleaning the room when I came.

The room was being cleaned when I came.

They have eaten the cake.

The cake has been eaten.


Past perfectActive: had + p.p.

Passive: had + been + p.p.

Future perfectActive: will have + p.p.

Passive: will have + been + p.p.

Note: The tenses that are not included in this table do not have the passive voice.

They had cleaned the room when I came.

The room had been cleaned when I came.

They will have cleaned the room when you return.

The room will have been cleaned when you return.


2.3 If there is one of the auxiliary verbs can/could, may/might, must, should, ought to, have/had to, need not, used to, be going to, or be to, the passive is formed by using the same verb + be + the past participle of the main verb that follows.


Active:

I do it this way.

can/couldcan/couldmustmustmay/mightmay/mightshouldshouldought toought tohave tohave toneed notneed notam going toam going toam toam toused to used to

do


can/couldcan/couldmustmustmay/mightmay/mightshouldshouldought toought tohas tohas toneed notneed notis going tois going tois tois toused to used to

Passive:

It be done this way.be done


it is a general term

Active: Workers use different tools to make different things.

Passive: Different tools to make different things.

Active: My brother made this bookcase.

Passive: This bookcase by my brother.

Compare:

2.4 In the passive sentence, the doer of the action (by + agent) is not usually mentio

ned when:

are used

was made


it is unknown

Active: Someone has stolen the money.

Passive: The money .

Active: One of the clerks has stolen the money.

Passive: The money (by one of the clerks).

it is a pronoun

Active: They are holding a debate.

Passive: A debate .

Active: The students of Class A held a debate yesterday.

Passive: A debate (by the students of Class A) yesterday.

has been stolen

has been stolen

is being held

was held

Compare:

Compare:


2.5 Prepositions after certain verbs retain their position after the verb in the passive sentence.

Active: I don’t think they will turn down your application.

Passive: I don’t think your application

.

Active: I don’t think they will turn down your application.

Passive: I don’t think your application

.will be turned down


2.6 Some verbs such as ask, tell, give, offer, show, teach, pay, etc. can take two objects.

The right candidate was offered a high salary.

In the passive sentence, either of these two objects can be the subject:

However, it is more usual for the passive sentence to begin with the person:

They offered the right candidate a high salary.

The right candidate was offered a high salary.A high salary was offered to the right candidate.


I saw him take the dictionary.

2.7 Some verbs are followed by an infinitive without to. In the passive voice, the i

nfinitive takes to.

He was seen to take the dictionary.


2.8 Sentences beginning with People say, People believe, People know, etc. may be changed into the passive voice in either of these two ways:

People say that he is innocent. It is said that he is innocent. He is said to be innocent.

They say that she was an actress.It is said that she was an actress.She is said to have been an actress.

The passive: structure 1509/02/2002

A Rewrite the following sentences in the passive voice.

Hint: In changing a sentence from active to passive, follow these steps:

1) Find the object of the verb. Then make it the subject of the passive sentence. If the object is a

pronoun, change it into the subject form.

2) Change the voice of the verb. In doing so, remember:

a) You must not change the tense.

b) The verb should agree in person and number with the subject of the passive sentence.

3) Mention the doer of the action (by + agent) only where necessary.

Exercise 2


Computers are used by / in many companies nowadays.

The road is being repaired.

That old building is going to be pulled down.

I was given 24 hours to make my decision.

Coal can be used in many ways.

1 Many companies use computers nowadays.

2 The workers are repairing the road.

3 They are going to pull down that old building.

4 They gave me 24 hours to make my decision.

5 We can use coal in many ways.


He was made to do the exercise again.

will be released next week.

The report will have been finished by the end of this month.

her application has been sent.

Traffic rules ought to be obeyed by every driver.

6 The teacher made him do the exercise again.

7 The singer will release her new album next week. (Begin with the given words.)

8 They will have finished the report by the end of this month.

9 I’m sure she has sent her application. (Begin with the given words.)

10 Every driver ought to obey traffic rules.

The singer’s new album

I’m sure


I doubt if she should be told the truth now.

He was heard to say that.

All programmes used to be broadcast live.

His name has been left out.

The names of the prize-winners werebeing given out when a fight broke out.

11 I doubt if we should tell her the truth now.

12 She heard him say that.

13 They used to broadcast all programmes live.

14 You have left out his name.

15 They were giving out the names of the prize-winners when a fight broke out.


B Change the following sentences into the passive voice. The first one has been done for you.1 The suspect may be hiding in Macau.

2 The newspaper says that the suspect has been caught.

3 There is a great possibility that Mr Wong will resign next month.

4 According to the newspaper it is likely that they will call a strike for tomorrow.

It is said that the suspect may be hiding in Macau.

It is reported that the suspect has been caught.

Mr Wong is believed to be resigning next month.

The strike is expected to be called for tomorrow.


5 There is a rumour that the officer has taken bribes.

6 The police think that the thieves got in through the rear window.

7 People say that Mr Chan was involved in the case.

8 Miss Wong is getting married soon.

The officer is alleged to have taken bribes.

The thieves are thought to have got in through the rear window.

Mr Chan is said to have been involved in the case.

Miss Wong is known to be getting married soon.


C Change the following sentences into the passive voice. The first one has been done for you.

1 We do not often see carriages these days.

2 They will not hold the meeting tomorrow morning.

3 The secretary has not typed the letter yet.

4 She did not clean the carpet this morning.

Carriages are not often seen these days.

The meeting will not be held tomorrow morning.

The letter has not been typed by the secretary yet.

The carpet was not cleaned this morning.


5 They are not discussing the matter now.

6 She does not keep her jewellery at home.

7 They will not allow any reporters into the conference room during the negotiation.

8 She did not say anything to explain her absence.

The matter is not being discussed now.

Her jewellery is not kept at home.

No reporters will be allowed into the conference room during the negotiation.

Nothing was said to explain her absence.


D Read the first sentence. Then ask a question with the given words. The first one has been done for you.

This picture is beautiful. Was it painted by your brother?

This watch is expensive.

This letter doesn’t seem to be important.

This old building looks dangerous.

1 paint / your brother

2 make / gold

3 it / can / deal with

4 it / be going to / demolish

Is it made of gold?

Can it be dealt with later?

When is it going to be demolished?


I hear that there was an accident this morning. Was anybody injured?

They told me the missing girl has returned home. Where was she found?

I heard from Melinda that someone broke into your house last night.

What has been stolen? What was stolen?

The debate will take place tomorrow. Who will be chosen to represent our school?

5 anybody / injure

6 she / find

7 steal

8 choose


Mr Wong

E Use the correct form of the given verbs to complete this dialogue. The first one has been done for you.

Why it (2) is taking (take) her so long? She is supposed (3) to have finished (finish) it hours ago.

She (4) was not told (not / tell) to type it until about 10 minutes ago.

Is the letter ready, Miss Lee?I’m afraid it (1) is still

being typed (still /type) by the secretary.

Miss Lee

is stillbeing typed

is takingto have

finished

was not told


He was heard (7) to say (say) that nobody could (8) be trusted (trust) with the job.

Mr Wong

Miss Lee

But I (5) gave (give) the draft to Jason this morning.

He must have forgotten. He is said (6) to be too occupied (too / occupy) with the new project.

Can’t anybody help him?

gave

to be too occupied

to saybe trusted


Mr WongMiss Lee

Then he (9) deserves (deserve) it. Well, there’s nothing I can (10) do (do) about it but wait, I’m afraid. Please tell the secretary to give the letter to me as soon as it (11) has been finished / is finished (finish).

Sure.

deservesdo

hasbeen finished / is finished

2The passive: structure

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