We use an ACTIVE verb to say what the

subject does. Somebody built this house in 1978

We use a PASSIVE verb to say what

happened to the subject. This house was built in 1978

FORM ACTIVE PASSIVE

SUBJECT SUBJEC T TO BE VERB OBJECT BY AGENT

The company employs a lot of people A lot of people are employed by the company

PARTICIP LE

VERB CHANGES ACTIVE

PRESENT SIMPLE The resource centre keeps audio and video tapes PRESENT CONTINUOUS They are repairing our car at the moment PAST SIMPLE They delivered the parcel right on time PAST CONTINUOUS A tall man with a moustache was chasing me PRESENT PERFECT Somebody has cleaned the room PAST PERFECT I had cooked the vegetables for too long FUTURE BE GOING TO Janet is going to mend the TV FUTURE WILL The Smiths will redecorate our house MODAL VERBS We must wash the dishes before we go

PASSIVE
(AM / IS / ARE) + PARTICIPLE Audio and video tapes are kept by the resource area (AM / IS / ARE) + BEING + PARTICIPLE Our car is being repaired at the moment (WAS / WERE) + PARTICIPLE The parcel was delivered right on time (WAS / WERE) + BEING +PARTICIPLE I was being chased by a tall man with a moustache (HAVE / HAVE) + BEEN + PARTICIPLE The room has been cleaned HAD + BEEN + PARTICIPLE The vegetables had been cooked by too long (AM / IS / ARE) + GOING TO BE + PARTICIPLE The TV is going to be ment by Janet WILL BE + PARTICIPLE Our house will be redecorated by the Smiths (MODAL VERB) + BE + PARTICIPLE The dishes must be washed before we go

SENTENCES WITH TWO OBJECTS (DIRECT / INDIRECT)

ACTIVE
Carol gave me a new CD DIR. OBJ. + IND. OBJ. +

A new CD was given to me by Carol PASSIVE VERB + TO + IND. OBJ.

PASSIVE

I was given a new CD by Carol PASSIVE VERB + DIR. OBJ.

When we are interested in the agent we use the preposition BY A new Japanese company designed the games The games were designed by a new Japanese company The agent complement is not used when it is (a pronoun, indefinite, obvious) He won the match The match was won (by him)

Put the following sentences into The Passive Voice. Good luck! 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. They will hold the prize giving in the hall ________________________________________________________________________ They were cleaning the room when I arrived. ________________________________________________________________________ We should abolish such laws. ________________________________________________________________________ They have found the missing child. ________________________________________________________________________ The teacher is giving a lot of homework to the students. ________________________________________________________________________ When did he deliver the goods? ________________________________________________________________________ They publish many new books every year. ________________________________________________________________________ Why didnt they tell me earlier? ________________________________________________________________________ You must tell him before he leaves. ________________________________________________________________________ She should do it as soon as possible. ________________________________________________________________________ Nobody has told me where to go. ________________________________________________________________________ They were repairing it when I arrived. ________________________________________________________________________ They have already signed the contract. ________________________________________________________________________ I must sharpen the knives. ________________________________________________________________________ I wrote the letter in French. ________________________________________________________________________ How often do you water the plants? ________________________________________________________________________ They sent an invitation to every member. ________________________________________________________________________ Did the explosion frighten you? ________________________________________________________________________ Thieves robbed a woman. ________________________________________________________________________ We havent used this machine for years. ________________________________________________________________________ They are testing the new drug. ________________________________________________________________________ We are going to buy a new car next month. ________________________________________________________________________ She had already read that book twice. ________________________________________________________________________ Two different teachers have marked the exams. ________________________________________________________________________ A police car is following that green van.

______________________________________________________________

Put the following sentences into The Passive Voice. Good luck! 1. They will hold the prize giving in the hall THE PRIZE GIVING WILL BE HOLD IN THE HALL 2. They were cleaning the room when I arrived. THE ROOM WAS BEING CLEANED WHEN I ARRIVED 3. We should abolish such laws. SUCH LAWS SHOULD BE ABOLISHED 4. They have found the missing child. THE MISSING CHILD HAVE BEEN FOUND 5. The teacher is giving a lot of homework to the students. THE STUDENTS ARE BEING GIVEN A LOT OF HOMEWORK 6. When did he deliver the goods? WHEN WERE THE GOODS DELIVERED? 7. They publish many new books every year. MANY NEW BOOKS ARE PUBLISHED EVERY YEAR. 8. Why didnt they tell me earlier? WHY WASNT I TOLD EARLIER? 9. You must tell him before he leaves. HE MUST BE TOLD BEFORE HE LEAVES 10. She should do it as soon as possible. IT SHOULD BE DONE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE 11. Nobody has told me where to go. I WASNT TOLD WHERE TO GO BY ANYBODY 12. They were repairing it when I arrived. IT WAS BEING REPAIRED WHEN I ARRIVED 13. They have already signed the contract. THE CONTRACT HAVE ALREADY BEEN SIGNED 14. I must sharpen the knives. THE KNIVES MUST BE SHARPENED 15. I wrote the letter in French. THE LETTER WAS WRITTEN IN FRENCH 16. How often do you water the plants? HOW OFTER ARE THE PLANTS WATERED? 17. They sent an invitation to every member. EVERY MEMBER WAS SENT AN INVITATION 18. Did the explosion frighten you? WERE YOU FRIGHTENED BY THE EXPLOSION? 19. Thieves robbed a woman. A WOMAN WAS ROBBED 20. We havent used this machine for years. THIS MACHINE HASNT BEEN USED FOR YEARS 21. They are testing the new drug. THE NEW DRUG IS BEING TESTED 22. We are going to buy a new car next month. A NEW CAR IS GOING TO BE BOUGHT NEXT MONTH 23. She had already read that book twice. THAT BOOK HAD ALREADY BEEN READ TWICE 24. Two different teachers have marked the exams. THE EXAMS HAVE BEEN MARKED BY TWO DIFFERENT TEACHERS 25. A police car is following that green van.

THAT GREEN VAN IS BEING FOLLOWED BY A POLICE CAR