COURSE : ENGLISH IV
CODE : IN304
CYCLE : VI
PROFESSOR : MG. GRACIELA BRITTO GUTIÉRREZ
SUBJECT : PASSIVE VOICE
IS DONE AND WAS DONE (PASSIVE 1)
The office is cleaned every day.
The office was cleaned yesterday.
Compare active and passive:
Somebody cleans the office every
day. (active)
The office is cleaned every day.
(passive)
Somebody cleaned the office
yesterday. (active)
The office was cleaned yesterday.
(passive)
The passive is:
Past participle
Simple present am/is/are cleaned done
Simple past was/were (not) invented built
injured taken, etc.
Butter is made from cream.
Oranges are imported into Canada.
How often are these rooms cleaned?
I am never invited to parties.
This house was built 100 years ago.
These houses were built 100 years ago.
When was the telephone invented?
We weren´t invited to the party last week.
«Was anybody injured in the accident?» «Yes, two people
were taken to the hospital.»
Was / were born
I was born in Los Angeles in 1995. (not I am born)
Where were you born?
Passive + by…
We were woken up by a loud noise. (= The noise woke us
up.)
The telephone was invited by Alexander Graham Bell in
1876.
My brother was bitten by a dog last week.
IS BEING DONE AND HAS BEEN DONE (PASSIVE 2)
Is/ are being… (present continuous
passive)
Somebody is painting the door.
(active)
The door is being painted. (passive)
I took the bus this morning. My
car is being repaired.
(= somebody is repairing it).
Some new houses are being built
across from the park.
(= somebody is building them).
Compare the present continuous and simple present:
The office is being cleaned right now (present continuous)
The office is cleaned every day. (simple present)
In the U.S football games are usually shown on TV on
Mondays, but no games are being shown next Monday.
HAS/ HAVE BEEN… (PRESENT PERFECT PASSIVE)
Somebody has painted the door.
(active)
The door has been painted.
(passive)
My key has been stolen.
(= somebody has stolen it)
My keys have been stolen.
(=somebody has stolen them)
I´m not going to the party. I
haven´t been invited. (= nobody
has invited me)
Has this window been washed?
(=Has somebody washed it?)
Compare the present perfect and simple past:
The room is clean now. It has been cleaned. (present
perfect)
The room was cleaned yesterday. (simple past)
I can´t find my keys. I think they´ve been stolen. (present
perfect).
My keys were stolen last week. (simple past).
