Use of Passive


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


Tense

Subject

Verb

Object

Simple Present

Active:

Rita

writes

a letter.

Passive:

A letter

is written

by Rita.

Simple Past

Active:

Rita

wrote

a letter.

Passive:

A letter

was written

by Rita.

Present Perfect

Active:

Rita

has written

a letter.

Passive:

A letter

has been written

by Rita.

Future I

Active:

Rita

will write

a letter.

Passive:

A letter

will be written

by Rita.

Hilfsverben

Active:

Rita

can write

a letter.

Passive:

A letter

can be written

by Rita.

 

Examples of Passive


Tense

Subject

Verb

Object

Present Progressive

Active:

Rita

is writing

a letter.

Passive:

A letter

is being written

by Rita.

Past Progressive

Active:

Rita

was writing

a letter.

Passive:

A letter

was being written

by Rita.

Past Perfect

Active:

Rita

had written

a letter.

Passive:

A letter

had been written

by Rita.

Future II

Active:

Rita

will have written

a letter.

Passive:

A letter

will have been written

by Rita.

Conditional I

Active:

Rita

would write

a letter.

Passive:

A letter

would be written

by Rita.

Conditional II

Active:

Rita

would have written

a letter.

Passive:

A letter

would have been written

by Rita.

 

Passive Sentences with Two Objects 


Rewriting an active sentence with two objects in passive voice means that one of the two objects becomes the subject, the other one remains an object. Which object to transform into a subject depends on what you want to put the focus on.


 

Subject

Verb

Object 1

Object 2

Active:

Rita

wrote

a letter

to me.

Passive:

A letter

was written

to me

by Rita.

Passive:

I

was written

a letter

by Rita.

.

As you can see in the examples, adding by Ritadoes not sound very elegant. That’s why it is usually dropped.


Personal and Impersonal Passive


Personal Passivesimply 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 called Impersonal Passive.


Example: he says – it is said


Impersonal Passiveis not as common in English as in some other languages (e.g. German, Latin). In English, Impersonal Passiveis 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 Passiveis possible here, Personal Passiveis 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 thatare dropped).

Sometimes the term Personal Passiveis used in English lessons if the indirect object of an active sentence is to become the subject of the passive sentence.