The Passive Voice – English, B2

 THE PASSIVE VOICE

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1. FORM

 RULE  :  SAME TENSE OF ‘TO BE’ + PAST PARTICIPLE

e.g.

• I punished.                    – I was punished.
• He’ll recognize.            –  He’ll be recognized.
• We have arrested.       – We have been arrested.
• She had bitten.             – She had been bitten.
• He’ll have chosen        – He’ll have been chosen

Note :

For continuous tenses : just follow the rule (as if ‘to be’ had continuous tenses)

• They are following.     –  They are being followed.
• He was questioning    –   He was being questioned.

For a gerund : keep following the rule.

•  I hate washing.             – I hate being washed.
• It is no use warning.    – It is no use being warned.

For an infinitive : Keep following the rule.

• I want to drive.              – I want to be driven.
• They hoped to rescue. – The hoped to be rescued.

USE

1. Object ® subject (and subject ® agent).

• Tom beats John.        – John is beaten by Tom.    (‘by Tom’ = agent)
• A stone hit him.          – He was hit by a stone.

2. Two objects : personal object ® subject.

• They gave Mary a ticket.        – Mary was given a ticket.
• They showed us an ugly painting.      – We were shown an ugly painting.

3. Subject of no importance : no agent.

• People speak English all over the world.  – English is spoken all over the world.
• They gave the students a new book.   – The students were given a new book.

but :    Mozart composed this music.            – This music was composed by Mozart.

4. Prepositions : do not forget them.

• I hate people laughing at me.           – I hate being laughed at.
• the shop out of which they stole a book              –  the shop a book was stolen out of.

5. ‘They say’ (or believe, suppose, think etc.) : use an infinitive construction.

• They say he’s a thief.          –  He is said to be a thief. (much better.)
• They suppose he is very rich.      – He is supposed to be very rich.
• The think he’s the brain of the gang.   – He is thought to be the brain of the gang.

Be careful :  sometimes a perfect infinitive is necessary.

• They believe he is a spy.         – He is believed to be a spy.
• They believe he was a spy in WWII.  – He is believed to have been a spy in WWII.

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