PASSIVE VOICE

WHAT IS VOICE? WHEN DO WE USE PASSIVE VOICE?

VOICE IS the grammatical Passive voice is mainly used:
FORM
relation (active or passive) of a. When the action or the
We form the passive using BE (in an appropriate tense) +
the grammatical subject of a result of the action is more important
PAST PARTICIPLE of a transitive verb.
verb to the action that the than the person or thing that
In the active sentence the person or thing that
verb denotes. performs it.
performs the action usually comes first:
WHAT IS PASSIVE VOICE? b. When the agent is unknown
SUBJECT /AGENT ACTION RESULT
The passive voice is used to or obvious.
indicate that the grammatical c. When the agent is a long She cleaned the room yesterday
subject of the verb is the phrase. In passive sentences the result of the action comes first
recipient (not the source) of d. When we want to make a statement and becomes the subject of the sentence
the action denoted by the verb. impersonal SUBJECT (RESULT) ACTION AGENT
e. In rules and orders The room was cleaned yesterday by her

THE AGENT
In most passive sentences we have no REPORTING VERBS
VERBS WITH TWO OBJECTS IN THE We often use reporting verbs with impersonal
interest in who
ACTIVE VOICE passive constructions.
or what performs the action.
Verbs that have two objects in the active “Some people think he stole the money”(Active)
We mention the agent when we think that
usually have two passive forms. There are two basic constructions:
the information is important. In this case it
“I sent her a present” (Active voice) a. It + passive verb+ that
is usually introduced with BY.
“She was sent a present” “It is thought that he stole the money”
“Hamlet was written by Shakespeare”.
“A present was sent to her” b. Subject+ passive verb+ TO infinitive.
“He is though to have stolen the money”

CAUSATIVE STRUCTURE
THE CAUSATIVE HAS THE MEANING OF 'SOMEONE” CAUSING SOMEONE ELSE
TO DO SOMETHING'. In English there are two basic causative structures
a. AN ACTIVE ONE THE VERBS USUALLY USED FOR THE CAUSATIVE ARE:
GET (which gives an idea of persuasion)
SOMEONE + GET (ANY TENSE) + SOMEBODY+ TO DO SOMETHING “She got her sister to do the washing up”
+ HAVE (ANY TENSE) + SOMEBODY+ DO SOMETHING HAVE (which implies asking and persuasion too)
“ + MAKE (ANY TENSE) + SOMEBODY + DO SOMETHING “I had my husband drive me to the airport”
“He had his secretary sign the papers”
“I had my mum do my hair” /“ I’m going to make my secretary type the MAKE (which implies forcing or convincing someone to
letters / “ He’s going to get her boyfriend to paint her bedroom” do something for you)
“Anna made Peter tidy his room”
b. PASSIVE ONE “He made me pay the check”
LET (allow)
SOMEONE + HAVE OR GET (ANY TENSE) SOMETHING + DONE+ BY “I’ll let you drive my car”
SOMEBODY ELSE
“He wouldn’t let her go”

“ I had my hair done". /“ They are going to have their house

redecorated”

2. TRANSFORM THE FOLLLOWING SENTENCES. ACTIVE

1. IDENTIFY HE FOLLOWING SENTENCES: ACTIVE
(A) PASSIVE (P) CAUSATIVE ACTIVE (CA)
CAUSATIVE PASSIVE (CP).
1. An accident was reported last night. ____
2. I had my brother paint my room. ____
3. The children are going to draw some animals.___
4. I’m having my kitchen redecorated_____
5. I got my friend to redecorate my kitchen,____
6. Ann rejected my wedding invitation._____
7. He is believed to have committed the murder.___
8. The thief was caught by the police.___
9. Digital TV was invented in the 1960s.___
10. We had our heating repaired yesterday.___
11. My son was given a new bike for his birthday.____
12. It is said she is a very good swimmer.____
13. The students handed in their essays yesterday.____
INTO PASSIVE OR PASSIVE INTO ACTIVE.
1. You’ll have to feed the dog while I’m out.
________________________________________________
2. She has ironed your shirt this morning.
________________________________________________
3. Smoking should be banned in all public places.
________________________________________________
4. We shall finish the project by tomorrow.
________________________________________________
5. I gave Mary a present for her birthday.
________________________________________________
6. This should be done as soon as possible
________________________________________________
7. Nobody told me about the exam.
________________________________________________
8. He was asked a favour.
________________________________________________
3. WRITE THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES IN THE PASSIVE VOICE. PAY ATTENTION TO VERB TENSES.
The teacher told Tom to stop taking. _______________________________________________________________
1. They are going to open a new commercial centre in town. ________________________________________________
2. We have done our homework. _____________________________________________________________________
3. The fire destroyed the building. ___________________________________________________________________
4. They won’t accept the offer. _____________________________________________________________________
5. His behaviour disappointed her. ___________________________________________________________________
6. London is going to hold the next Olympics. ___________________________________________________________
7. I can see a beautiful landscape from my window. ______________________________________________________
8. You must tell her about the meeting. _______________________________________________________________
9. We advertise our products in the newspaper. _________________________________________________________
10. Helen is writing a letter. ________________________________________________________________________
11. My aunt waters the plants every night. _______________________________________________________________

4. PASSIVE WITH REPORTING VERBS. 5. TRANSFORM THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES WITH

1. People say he has committed the crime
It______________________________________________
2. They claim that this new car is better than the old one.
This new car______________________________________
3. People believe he is a shoplifter.
He______________________________________________
4. People say that a lot of people will lose their job due to the
crisis.
It______________________________________________
5. People say he is the best candidate for the elections next
month
He______________________________________________
6. They say he died in the car accident last night
He______________________________________________
7. They think the family went to live in Australia
The family_______________________________________
8. People believe he did it on purpose
He______________________________________________
TWO OBJECTS INTO THE PASSIVE.
1. The staff gave him a worm welcome.
a.__________________________________________
b.__________________________________________
2. My mother bought him a new car
a.__________________________________________
b. __________________________________________
3. The company offered them a pay rise
a.___________________________________________
b.__________________________________________
4. She showed Mary her new bedroom.
a.__________________________________________
b.__________________________________________
5. Helen paid him a lot of money for his job
a.__________________________________________
b.__________________________________________

7. CAUSATIVE REWRITE THESE SENTENCES USING HAVE

6. FIND THE MISTAKE AND CORRECT THE SENTENCE,
1. The book must have given to Anna tomorrow
.____________________________________
2. Did she was told about the meeting
____________________________________
3. They are being painted the house this week.
_____________________________________
4. She is said to has been hired for the job
_____________________________________
5. Lunch is now be served
_____________________________________
6. He was told to go away by them.
_____________________________________
7. There was nothing to have seen
_________________________________
8. Are you going to let him to suffer like this?
______________________________________
OR GET.
1. The mechanic revised my car.
________________________________________________
2. The hairdresser did my hair in a completely different style.
________________________________________________
3. The teacher checked my exam a second time
_________________________________________________
4. A friend is going to repair my computer next week.
_________________________________________________
5. My skirt is being shortened.
_________________________________________________
6. Somebody stole my wallet yesterday
_________________________________________________
7. My new book is going to be translated to French.
_________________________________________________
8. My room was painted last month.
_________________________________________________

8. CHOOSE THE CORRECT OPTION

1. I'm going to have Mike _ my computer to see what is wrong. 6. Julie will not let her daughter __ that boy
a) look at b) to look at c) looked at a) marry b) to marry c) married
2. I'll let you ________ my car. 7. I had my wallet ________ yesterday.
a) to drive b) drive c) driving a) stolen b) stole c) to steal
3. I ________ her and apologize. 8. Do you want me to help you ________?
a) made him to call b) made him called c) made him call a) to pack b) packing c) pack
4. All the wine_______ 9. I had my shopping ______this morning
a) drunk b) were drunk c) was drunk a) to deliver b) delivered c) deliver
5. His father _____him 1 million pounds 10. Have your assistant ______ these letters immediately
a) was left b) left c) leave a) to send b) to be sent c) send