Passive Voice

Juan Fco Blesa

The passive sentenceThe passive sentenceACTIVE VOICEACTIVE VOICE

Active Subject

Active Verb

Direct Object

Robert gave a coina coin

byPassive Verb

Passive Subject

Agent

PASSIVE VOICEPASSIVE VOICEwas given by

SubjectSubject: Person or object that suffered/enjoyed the results of an action. (Persona u objeto que sufre o disfruta los resultados de una acción.

The verb "to beto be" in the tense the action ocurred. (El verbo to be en el tiempo que ocurrió la acción.)

The Past Participle Past Participle of the verb that represents the action itself. (El participio de pasado del verbo que representa la acción.)

Whatever complementscomplements that verb needs. (Los complementos que el verbo necesite.)

In a few special cases we can also use byby + the agentagent. (En algunos casos usaremos el complemento agente introducido por la preposición by)

We can only have passive sentences from transitive verbs, never with intransitive verbs. (Solo podemos hacer oraciones pasivas de verbos transitivos y nunca de verbos intransitivos)

Structure of the sentenceStructure of the sentence

Structure of the verbStructure of the verb

TENSES EXAMPLES

Present Simple Pigs are often used to find truffles

Present Continuous My house is being redecorated at the moment

Present Perfect I have never been given flowers on my birthday

Past Simple This picture was painted by Picasso

Past Continuous When I saw him he was being followed by the police

Past Perfect She was angry because she had already been told three times

Future Simple When you get there everything will be finished

Going to - Future They are not going to be easily convinced

Conditional Simple You would be punished if they found out

Conditional Perfect If you hadn’t told them would I have been invited?

to BEBE gives us the tense of the action(be en el tiempo de la acción)

the principal verb is always in Past ParticiplePast Participle (El verbo (El verbo principal no lo encontraremos siempre en pasado de participio)principal no lo encontraremos siempre en pasado de participio)

THE PASSIVE VERBTHE PASSIVE VERBto BE (in the active tense) + Past Participle (main verb) to BE (in the active tense) + Past Participle (main verb)

ACTIVE PASSIVE

She wants an ice-cream An ice-cream is wanted

He sent a letter A letter was sent

We will buy a new car next week A new car will be bought

They have been cutting the grass The grass has been being cut

Highlight the action more than the subject who makes the action.

Resaltar la acción más que al sujeto que la realiza.• They built this house in 1944. / This house was built in

1944. When the agent is unknown or we don’t

want to mention it. Cuando el sujeto que realiza la acción es obvio, o

desconocido, o no se lo quiere nombrar.• Spanish "SE" :

Se venden pisos: Flats are sold• Spanish "Ellos/as" omitted :

Le dieron un beso a Pepita: Pepita was given a kiss

When do we use it?When do we use it?

To make the object of the active verb more important

Para hacer el objeto del verbo activo más importante.

America was discovered in 1492 by Christopher Columbus

When the description of the agent is very long Cuando la descripción del agente es muy larga.

A charity record has been made by many famous names in the world of pop music.

When do we use it?When do we use it?

The passive sentenceThe passive sentenceACTIVE VOICEACTIVE VOICE

Active Subject

Active Verb

Direct Object

Indirect Object

Robert gave a coin TomTomto

byDirect Object

Passive Verb

Passive Subject

Agent

PASSIVE VOICEPASSIVE VOICEwas given by

Si una oración tiene dos complementos, ponemos como sujeto el primer complemento que vaya detrás del verbo en activa, sea el directo o el indirecto.

• They will send some books to Pam / Some books will be sent to Pam.• They will send Pam some books. / Pam will be sent some books.

Si el complemento indirecto es un pronombre, hay que cambiarlo a la forma de sujeto.

- She showed me her new house- I was shown her new house.

- Esta pasiva se suele utilizar con los verbos ask, give, lend, pay, offer, promise, sell, send, show y tell, que llevan el doble complemento: directo e indirecto.

1/They built this housethis house in 14662/ This house This house was built was built in 1466

1/ Channel islanders speak French & EnglishFrench & English2/ French & English French & English are spoken are spoken by Channel islanders

1/ This book will change your lifeyour life2/ Your life Your life will be changed will be changed by this book

ExamplesExamples

1/ They have cut the grassthe grass2/ The grass The grass has been cuthas been cut

1/ My mother is going to give meme a present2/ I I am going to be given am going to be given a present by my mother1/ Susan wrote an e-mail to himto him1/ He was written was written an e-mail by Susan

ExamplesExamples

1/ They can’t answer your questionyour question2/ Your question Your question can’t be answeredcan’t be answered

1/ Someone had to take her her to hospital after this2/ She had to be takenhad to be taken to hospital after the crash

1/ They shouldn’t allow the children the children to do these things 2/ The children The children shouldn’t be allowed shouldn’t be allowed to do these things

1/ 1/ SomeoneSomeone must tell must tell him him if we want him to knowif we want him to know2/ 2/ He He must be told must be told if we want him to know

More examplesMore examples

HAVE/ GET somethingsomething done: Arranging for or paying for somebody to do something for you. (Get is more informal).

(Esta estructura tiene un sentido pasivo, puesel nombre que va en medio recibe la accióndel verbo que va en participio)

They cut his hair He had his hair his hair cutThey cleaned her carpetShe got her carpet her carpet cleanedThey has mended our car.We have had our car our car mendedThey translated their book.They had got their book their book translated

More passive stuffMore passive stuff

HAVE + HAVE + ObjectObject + + Past ParticiplePast Participle

Verbs like: Believe, Think, Consider, Say, Report, Know, Expect, Feel, Understand, Find

1. Introductory IT is used (It introductorio)

It is said is said that he started the fire. he started the fire. (Se dice que el empezó el fuego)(Se dice que el empezó el fuego)

It is thought is thought that she doesn't live in Londonshe doesn't live in London(Se piensa que ella no vive en Londres)(Se piensa que ella no vive en Londres)

It was known was known that the King is coming tomorrowthe King is coming tomorrow(Se sabía que el Rey viene mañana)(Se sabía que el Rey viene mañana)


IT + passive verb + complete subordinate sentence without changes

Verbs like: Believe, Think, Consider, Say, Report, Know, Expect, Feel, Understand, Find

It is said is said that he started the fire he started the fire (action in the Past)He He is said is said to have started to have started the fire the fire (Infinitive Perfect)It is thought is thought that she doesn't live in London she doesn't live in London (Present)She She is thought is thought to live to live in London in London (Infinitive Present)


Subordinate subject + verb passive + subordinate active verb in INFINITIVE.

GETGET is used instead of BEBE with passive meaning. Informal English.

I got stuck in a traffic jamShe is getting married

After NEEDNEED/WANTWANT the -ing form can be used with passive meaning

This job needs doingThat room wants cleaning


Documents

Passive Voice