Passive voice is used when the focus is
on the action. It is not important or not known, however, who or what is
performing the action.
Example: My bike was stolen.
In the example above, the focus is on
the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not know, however, who did it.
Sometimes a statement in passive is more
polite than active voice, as the following example shows:
Example: A mistake was made.
In this case, I focus on the fact that a
mistake was made, but I do not blame anyone (e.g. You have made a mistake.).
Form of Passive
Subject + finite form of to be +
Past Participle (3rd column of irregular verbs)
Example: A letter was written.
When rewriting active sentences in
passive voice, note the following:
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 dropped)
Examples of
Passive
1.
Simple Present
Active : Rita writes a letter.
Passive : A letter is written by
Rita
2.
Simple Past
Active : Rita wrote a letter.
Passive : A letter was written
by Rita
3.
Present Perfect
Active : Rita has written a
letter.
Passive : A letter has been
written by Rita
4.
Future I
Active : Rita will write a
letter.
Passive : A letter will be written
by Rita
5. Present
Progressive
Active : Rita is writing a
letter.
Passive : A letter is being written
by Rita
6. Past
Progressive
Active : Rita was writing a
letter.
Passive : A letter was being written
by Rita
7. Past Perfect
Active : Rita had written a
letter.
Passive : A letter had been written
by Rita
8. Future II
Active : Rita will have written
a letter.
Passive : A letter will have been
written by Rita
9. Conditional I
Active : Rita would write a
letter.
Passive : A letter would be written
by Rita
10. Conditional II
Active : Rita would have written
a letter.
Passive : A letter would been written
by Rita
Personal and Impersonal Passive
Personal
Passive simply
means that the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive
sentence. So every verb that needs an object (transitive verb) can form a
personal passive.
Example: They build houses. – Houses are
built.
Verbs without an object (intransitive
verb) normally cannot form a personal passive sentence (as there is no object
that can become the subject of the passive sentence). If you want to use an
intransitive verb in passive voice, you need an impersonal construction –
therefore this passive is calledImpersonal
Passive.
Example: he says – it is said
Impersonal
Passive is
not as common in English as in some other languages (e.g. German, Latin). In
English, Impersonal Passive is
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.
Although Impersonal Passive is possible here, Personal Passive is more common.
Example: They say that women live longer
than men. – Women are said to live longer than men.
The subject of the subordinate clause
(women) goes to the beginning of the sentence; the verb of perception is put
into passive voice. The rest of the sentence is added using an infinitive
construction with 'to' (certain auxiliary verbs and that are dropped).
Sometimes the term Personal Passive is used in
English lessons if the indirect object of an active sentence is to become the
subject of the passive sentence.
