The Passive Voice
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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
Simple Present
Subject
Active:
Passive: Simple Past
Active: Passive:
Present Perfect
Active:
Verb
Object
writes
a letter.
is written
by Rita.
wrote
a letter.
A letter
was written
by Rita.
Rita
has written
a letter.
Rita
A letter Rita
Passive: Future I
A letter
Active: Passive:
Hilfsverben
Rita A letter
Active: Passive:
Rita A letter
has been written
by Rita.
will write
a letter.
will be written
by Rita.
can write
a letter.
can be written
by Rita.
Examples of Passive Tense
Present Progressive
Subject
Past Progressive
Past Perfect
was writing
a letter.
was being written
by Rita.
had written
a letter.
A letter
had been written
by Rita.
Rita
will have written
a letter.
will have been written
by Rita.
would write
a letter.
would be written
by Rita.
would have written
a letter.
would have been written
by Rita.
Rita A letter Rita
A letter
Active: Passive:
Conditional II
by Rita.
Active: Passive:
Conditional I
is being written
A letter
Active: Passive:
Future II
a letter.
Rita
Active: Passive:
Rita A letter
Active: Passive:
Object
is writing
Active:
Passive:
Verb
Rita A letter
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
Active:
Rita
Verb
Object 1
Object 2
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 Rita does not sound very elegant. That’s why it is usually dropped.
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
Simple Present
Subject
Active:
Passive: Simple Past
Active: Passive:
Present Perfect
Active:
Verb
Object
writes
a letter.
is written
by Rita.
wrote
a letter.
A letter
was written
by Rita.
Rita
has written
a letter.
Rita
A letter Rita
Passive: Future I
A letter
Active: Passive:
Hilfsverben
Rita A letter
Active: Passive:
Rita A letter
has been written
by Rita.
will write
a letter.
will be written
by Rita.
can write
a letter.
can be written
by Rita.
Examples of Passive Tense
Present Progressive
Subject
Past Progressive
Past Perfect
was writing
a letter.
was being written
by Rita.
had written
a letter.
A letter
had been written
by Rita.
Rita
will have written
a letter.
will have been written
by Rita.
would write
a letter.
would be written
by Rita.
would have written
a letter.
would have been written
by Rita.
Rita A letter Rita
A letter
Active: Passive:
Conditional II
by Rita.
Active: Passive:
Conditional I
is being written
A letter
Active: Passive:
Future II
a letter.
Rita
Active: Passive:
Rita A letter
Active: Passive:
Object
is writing
Active:
Passive:
Verb
Rita A letter
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
Active:
Rita
Verb
Object 1
Object 2
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 Rita does not sound very elegant. That’s why it is usually dropped.
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