Passive Voice Use of Passive Passive voice 1 = the focus is on the action; Example: My bike was stolen.
Passive voice 2 = more polite than active voice; Example: A mistake was made.
Form of Passive Subject + finite form of to be + Past Participle (3rd column of irregular verbs) Example: A letter was written.
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 omitted)
Examples of Passive Tense Subject Verb writes Object a letter.
Simple Present
Active: Passive:
Rita A letter Rita A letter Rita A letter Rita A letter Rita A letter
is written wrote was written has written has been written will write will be written can write can be written
by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita.
Simple Past
Active: Passive:
Present Perfect
Active: Passive:
Future I
Active: Passive:
Hilfsverben
Active: Passive:
Examples of Passive Tense Subject Verb is writing Object a letter.
Present Progressive
Active: Passive:
Rita A letter Rita A letter Rita A letter Rita A letter Rita A letter Rita
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
by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter. by Rita. a letter.
Past Progressive
Active: Passive:
Past Perfect
Active: Passive:
Future II
Active: Passive:
Conditional I
Active: Passive:
Conditional II
Active: Passive:
A letter would have been written by Rita.
Passive Sentences with Two Objects One of the two objects becomes the subject, the other one remains an object, according to the context/meaning: Subject Verb wrote Object 1 a letter Object 2 to me.
Active: Passive: Passive: .
Rita A letter I
was written was written
to me a letter
by Rita. by Rita.
Personal and Impersonal Passive Personal Passive = the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. Example: They build houses. Houses are built. Example: They say that women live longer than men. Women are said to live longer than men
Impersonal Passive = use an intransitive verb in passive voice with an impersonal construction using Intransitive verbs Example: he says it is said Impersonal Passive = 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.
