Passive Voice

 What is the Passive Voice?

Most of the time English speakers use the active voice to express ideas. The subject does the action of a verb in the active voice. However, sometimes English speakers use the passive voice. The subject receives the action of the verb in the passive voice.

• Barry ate pizza last night.   (Barry is the doer of eating.)
• Pizza was eaten last night. (Pizza the receiver of eating.)

• I broke my pencil.         (I is the doer of breaking.)
• My pencil was broken. (Pencil is receiver of breaking.)

When to use the Passive Voice

The passive is used for several reasons. The passive voice emphasizes the receiver of the action or event. Both science and history texts uses the passive voice for these purposes. 

1. Do not know the doer.	The car was stolen.   (By whom?)
2. Do not want to say the doer.	The window was broken. (By whom?)
3. Not talking about the doer.	Paper is made from wood.
4. Draw attention to the receiver.	America was discovered in 1492.

Steps to Form a Passive Sentence with Objects

1. Recognize an active sentence that has a transitive verb and a direct object / indirect object.

2. Make the direct or indirect object the subject.

3. Add a Be verb using the same tense and change the main verb to its past particle form.

4. When the subject remains, include a phrase using 'by' or 'from'.

• Part of Speech: Sub + T. Verb + I.O. + D.O.
• Active:               Nancy gave David a present.
• Direct Object:    A present was given to David by Nancy.
• Indirect Object:  David was given a present from Nancy.

Forming Passive Sentences with Modals/Semi-modals

Subject + Modal + Be Verb + Past Participle

• John will be invited to the party.
• The jar cannot be opened.
• Math should be taught daily.
• You may be excused from class.

Subject + Semi-Modal + Be Verb + Past Participle

• The announcement ought to be made today.
• the meeting was supposed to be held today.

Tenses

TENSE	ACTIVE	PASSIVE
Present Simple	I eat eggs.	The eggs are eaten.
Present Cont.	I am eating eggs.	The eggs are being eaten.
Present Perfect	I have eaten eggs.	The eggs have been eaten.
Past Simple	I ate eggs.	The eggs were eaten.
Past Cont.	I was eating eggs.	The eggs were being eaten.
Past Perfect	I had eaten eggs.	The eggs had been eaten.
Future Simple	I will eat eggs.	The eggs will be eaten.
Future Be going to	I am going to eat eggs.	The eggs are going to be eaten.
Modal	I should eat eggs.	The eggs should be eaten.
Perfect Modal	I should have eaten eggs,	The eggs should have been eaten.

               

 Practice Making Passive Sentences

1. Direct Object (without by)

Practice changing active sentences with direct objects to passive voice. 

• She painted a picture today. 
• The picture was painted today.
• He ordered a cheese pizza.
• A cheese pizza was ordered.
• We read a good poem in class.
• A good poem was read in class.
• I bought new shoes at the Mall.
• My new shoes were bought at the Mall.
• They include appetizers at that restaurant.
• Appetizers are included at that restaurant.

2. Direct Object with Subject using 'by'

Practice changing active sentences with direct objects to passive voice using the 'by' phrase.

• Columbus discovered America in 1492.
• America was discovered by Columbus in 1492.
• My English teacher taught a grammar lesson.
• A grammar lesson was taught by my English teacher.
• My mom baked cookies for the party.
• Cookies for the party were baked by my mom .
• UPS delivered a package to our house.
• A package was delivered to our house by UPS.
• The librarian always recommends great books.
• Great books are always recommended by the librarian.

3. Change Passive to Active Sentences

Practice changing passive sentences to active voice.

• Vegetables were grown in the garden.
• He grew the vegetables in his garden.
• The roof was badly damaged.
• The storm badly damaged the roof.
• Dinner has been cooked.
• She has cooked dinner.
• The nest was built by the robins.
• The robins built a nest.
• Honda produced the CRV.
• The CRV was produced by Honda.

4. Indirect Object

Practice changing active sentences with indirect objects to passive voice.

• He sent John a text message.
• John was sent a text message.
• She told Anna the secret.
• Anna was told the secret
• I gave my grandma a present.
• My grandma was given a present
• We got our child a new pair of shoes.
• Our child has gotten a new pair of shoes.
• They paid the cashier money. 
• The cashier was paid money.

 5. Modals

Practice changing active sentences to passive voice with modals.

• Return the book in two weeks.
• The book must be returned in two weeks.
• Please send the letter today.
• The letter should be sent today.
• May I be excused from class?
• You may be excused from class.
• Invite Mike to the party.
• Mike will be invited to the party.
• Tell Joy about the change in our plan.
• Joy has to be told about the change in our plan.