1. She will not recognize us. 8. They speak English in Nagaland.

We will not be recognized by her. English is spoken in Nagaland.

2. They didn’t invite me, but I went anyway. 9. His attitude shocked me.
I wasn’t invited but I went anyway. I was shocked by his attitude.

3. They broke up the table for firewood. 10. She had already sent the parcel.
The table was broken up for firewood. The parcel had already been sent by her.

4. This book will change your life. 11. They will hire some people to do the job.
Your life will be changed by this book. Some people will be hired to do the job.

5. She has won the first prize. 12. Her silence worries me.
The first prize has been won by her. I am worried about her silence.

6. A friend of mine is repairing the car.

The car is being repaired by a friend of mine.

7. The immigration officer questioned us.

We were questioned by the immigration officer.
Rewrite the sentences in passive voice.
1. He opens the door.
The door is opened by him.
2. We set the table.
3. She pays a lot of money.
4. I draw a picture.
5. They wear blue shoes.
6. They don't help you.
7. He doesn't open the book.
8. You do not write the letter.
9. Does your mum pick you up?
10. Does the police officer catch the thief?
2. We set the table.
The table is set by us.
3. She pays a lot of money.
A lot of money is paid by her.
4. I draw a picture.
A picture is drawn by me.
5. They wear blue shoes.
Blue shoes are worn by them.
6. They don't help you.
You are not helped by them.
7. He doesn't open the book.
The book is not opened by him.
8. You do not write the letter.
The letter is not written by you.
9. Does your mum pick you up?
Are you picked up by your mum?
10. Does the police officer catch the thief?
Is the thief caught by the police officer?
PASSIVE VOICE: DEFINITION
In the active voice, the subject of the sentence DOES the action:
 John painted the house last week.
Subject / verb / object
In the passive voice, the subject of the sentence RECEIVES the
action.
 The house was painted last week.
Subject / verb
Notice that the object of the active sentence (house) became
the subject of the passive sentence.
PASSIVE VOICE: USE
The passive voice is used when:
1. We do not know who did the action
Example: The documents were stolen.
(we don’t know who stole the documents)
2. The receiver of the action is more important
Example: The pyramids were built nearly 5,000 years ago by
the ancient Egyptians.
(we want to emphasize “pyramids” more than “ancient
Egyptians”)
PASSIVE VOICE: FORM
To change an active voice sentence to a passive voice sentence:
1. Make the object of the active sentence into the subject of the
passive sentence.
2. Use the verb “to be” in the same tense as the main verb of the
active sentence.
3. Use the past participle of the main verb of the active
sentence.
Here are some active and passive voice examples to help!
 Active: People drink champagne on New Year’s Eve.
Passive: Champagne is drunk on New Year’s Eve.
 Active: Chefs use these machines to mix the ingredients.
Passive: These machines are used to mix the ingredients.
 Active: They renovated the restaurant in 2004.
Passive: The restaurant was renovated in 2004.
 Active: The teachers informed the students that the class had
been cancelled.
Passive: The students were informed that the class had
been cancelled.
PASSIVE VOICE: PRESENT  Events in history
In the present, the passive voice uses the verbs is and are + past
 George Washington was elected president in 1788.
participle of the main verb. The passive voice present is often
used to describe:
 Crimes / Accidents
 Processes
 Two people were killed in a drive-by shooting on Friday
 First the apples are picked, then they are cleaned, and night.
finally they’re packed and shipped to the market.
 Ten children were injured when part of the school roof
 General thoughts, opinions, and beliefs collapsed.

 New York is considered the most diverse city in the U.S.

It is believed that Amelia Earhart’s plane crashed in
Pacific Ocean.

 Hungarian is seen as one of the world’s most difficult

languages to learn.

 Skin cancers are thought to be caused by excessive

exposure to the sun.

PASSIVE VOICE: PAST

In the past, the passive voice uses the verbs was and were + past
participle of the main verb.

The passive voice past is often used to describe event in history,

crime and accident …as well as in many other situations when
the person who did the action is unknown or unimportant.
Using the Passive Voice with Different Tenses Past Perfect The scientists had found the The cure had been found,
cure, but it was too late. but it was too late.
We can use passive voice with most tenses.
Future Perfect The scientists will have found A cure will have been
To change the tense of a passive sentence, you change the form of
a cure by then. found by then.
the verb 'be'. The main verb in a passive sentence is always in the
past participle form. It is uncommon to use the passive voice with the following
tenses:
Using the Passive Voice with Different Tenses  Present Perfect Continuous;
 Future Continuous;
Tense Active Voice Passive Voice  Future Perfect Continuous;
 Past Perfect Continuous.
Present Simple James writes the letters. The letters are written by
James.
If we used the passive voice for these tenses, we would have two
Past Simple James wrote the letters. The letters were written forms of the verb 'be' together. This makes the sentence
by James. awkward and confusing.
We make the present perfect continuous tense in the active voice
Present James is writing the letters. The letters are being
like this: subject + have + been + verb (-ing)
Continuous written by James.
The present perfect continuous tense in the passive voice would
Present Perfect James has written the letters. The letters have been look like this: subject + have + been + being + past participle
written by James.

Future Simple James is going to write the The letters are going to
(going to) letters. be written by James.

Future Simple James will write the letters. The letters will be written
(will) by James.

Past Continuous James was writing the The letters were being
letters. written by James.