The Passive Voice. Formation of the Passive Voice To be + V3

1.

The Passive Voice
Страдательный Залог

2. Formation of the Passive Voice To be + V3

Tense
Active
Passive
Notes: the action is
done to the subject
Simple
Present Asks
Am/is/are + asked
He asks. (Active)
Past
Was/were + asked
He is asked every day.
Will be + asked
He was asked yesterday.
Future
Asked
Will ask
He will be asked tomorrow.
Continuous Perfect
Present Am/is/are + asking Am/is/are + being
asked
Was/were +asking
Past
Will be + asking
Future
Present
Was/were + being
asked
____________
Have/has + asked Have/has + been
asked
Past
Had + asked
Had + been asked
Will + have been asked
He is asking now.
He is being asked now.
He was being asked this
time yesterday.
He has asked.
He has been asked.
He had been asked before
he came.

3.

Definition
The Passive is a way of forming the sentence so that the focus is on the
person or thing receiving the action.
Active
People or things do something
themselves.
Something happens to people or things.
Passive
Who or what did the action is unknown or
unimportant.
Object in
the Active
Active: They built
Subject in
Passive
this house in 1989
Passive: This house
1989.
was built in

4. Why use Passive?

1.To move important
information to the
beginning of the
sentence.
• The new swimming pool
has just been opened.
2. To be impersonal
in scientific or
technical process.
• The plastic bags are
produced in China.
3.When the
performer of the
action is general or
obvious from the
context or important
• All pupils are taught
computer skills.

5.

1.
Verbs with two objects
Give, send, show, lend, teach, leave,
promise, offer, pay, sell, tell, refuse
smth.
smb.
Indirect Object
Direct Object
refers to people
refers to things
She gave the car to her sister.
She gave her sister the car.
Passive with indirect
object is more common.
Both of these structures can be
Passive
1.
The car was given to her sister.
2.
Her sister was given the car.

6.

2.
Verbs with one direct object
Explain, read, dictate, describe, point out,
announce, mention, repeat, declare, introduce,
present, prove, demonstrate, report, suggest.
smth.
Direct Object
refers to things
Passive
The rule was explained to us.
The book was read to me.
The place was described to us.
We were explained the rule.

7.

3.
Verbs with one indirect object
Teach, envy, forgive
smb.
Indirect Object
refers to people
Passive
The child was forgiven for the bad
behavior.
Rich people are often envied.
I was taught a serious lesson.

8.

4.
To agree with/to/on
To call for
To count on
To deal with
To hear of
To insist on
To laugh at
To look after
To pay attention to
To rely on
To send for
To speak about
To think of
To write about
To listen to
To operate on
To take care of
Verbs with prepositions
The contract was agreed on.
The doctor was called for immediately.
His experience can be counted on.
He is dealt with very easily.
This artist is much heard of.
The wedding was insisted on.
His is often laughed at because of his looks.
The children are looked after well at school.
Education is paid much attention to nowadays.
Good friends are always relied on.
The nurse was send for when he felt bad.
The film was much spoken about.
This actor is not thought of too much.
This play is much written about.
This lecture was listened to very attentively.
The dog was operated on right after the accident.
The teeth are bad, they are not taken care of properly.

9.

5.
Active verb – passive meaning
Sell, wash, wear, bake, read,
iron, read, wear
Detectives sell well.
The dress washes and wears
well.
The cake is still baking.
Детективы хорошо
продаются.
Платье хорошо стирается и
носится.
Пирог все еще печется.

10.

If you want to say who did the action or what
caused the action, use BY or WITH.
BY
WITH
for agents
for instruments, tools,
weapons, materials
The house was built BY
my grandfather.
It was destroyed BY fire.
The room was filled
WITH smoke.
The wood can be cut
WITH a knife.

11. Get instead of be+V3 in Passive

1.
To say that smth. happens to somebody especially if this is
unplanned or unexpected.
2.
When things happen or change! We don’t use GET for the state.
3.
In informal spoken English.
4.
We also use get in the following expressions (which are not passive in
meaning):
Get married Get divorced Get dressed Get changed
There was a fight at the party but nobody got hurt. (= nobody was hurt)
I don't often get invited to parties. (= I'm not often invited)
You cannot use get in these sentences:
Jill is liked by everybody,(not 'gets liked' - this is not a 'happening')
He was a mystery man. Nothing was known about him. (not 'got known')

12. It is said that….He is said to…

Henry is very old. Nobody knows how old he is.
It is said that he is 100
He is said to be 100
years old.
years old.
To be
thought, believed, considered, reported, known, expected, understood…
It is believed that she works 16
hours a day.
She is believed to work 16
hours a day.

13.

Practice
Complete with the verb in present simple and passive form.
1. He (find) in the garden .
2. She (tell) a story.
3. These cars (repair) by the mechanics.
4. People (allow) to walk on the grass .
5. Wine (produce) all over the world .
6. Sugar (add) to help fermentation.
7. Money (collect) to help this family.
8. Children (chase) by the horse .
9. The eggs (eat) with some bread.
10. The bottles (sell) to the wine dealers.

14.

Practice
1. Human beings are destroying the rainforests = The rainforests by human beings.
2. The woman is pouring water on the pavement = Water on the pavement by the woman.
3. The boys are throwing papers on the road = Papers on the road by the boys.
4. The fishermen are putting a liquid in the lake = A liquid in the lake by the fishermen.
5. The sellers are using plastic papers to cover foods = Plastic papers to cover foods by
the sellers.
6. The child is breaking the table = The table by the child.
7. The students are learning English = English by the students.
8. The scientists are catching the butterflies with a net = The butterflies with a net by the
scientists.
9. The girl is washing two babies = Two babies by the girl.
10. The father is hugging the child = The child by the father

15.

Practice
Open the brackets and use the verb in the appropriate form of the Passive
Voice.
1, The first draft resolution (not discuss) yesterday; it (withdraw) long before the beginning
of the meeting. 2. He is not in town; he (send) on a special mission, 3. Don't come into the
compartment; the berth (fix) now. 4. A new underground line (construct) now. They say one
of its stations (build) in my street. 5. He wants to know when the final decision (take). The
activities of the committee and their delays already much (speak) about. 6. It was three
o'clock. We (tell) to hurry up because we (wait). 7. Do you believe that such a problem can
(solve)? 8. It must (do) without delays. 9. On September 9, 1850, California (admit) to the
Union as the thirty-first state. 10. Don't speak in a loud voice: we (listen). 11. The plan
(approve)? — No, it (discuss) now. — How long it (discuss)? 12. By the time he arrives
everything (settle). 13. Not all the necessary things (buy) for our trip that's why the
departure (postpone). 14. The money (lend) to him two months ago, but it (not give) back
yet. 15. The business day was in high gear: the mail (look) through, documents (type),
letters (answer), talks (hold). 16. Wait a minute. The table (lay). 17. Dynamite (invent) by
Alfred Bernhard Nobel. 18. This exercise may (write) with a pencil. 19. This work (do)
before you went to Moscow? 20. If you (ask) about it, will you be able to answer?

16. Change the following sentences into the Passive Voice. A using the Indefinite Tenses (give two forms where possible). Example: Tom gave her a book. — She was given a book. The book was given to her. 1. He broke my watch. 2. The teacher explained the rul

Practice
Change the following sentences into the Passive Voice.
A using the Indefinite Tenses (give two forms where possible).
Example: Tom gave her a book. — She was given a book. The book was given
to her.
1. He broke my watch. 2. The teacher explained the rule to the students. 3. He often
asks me to help them. 4. They usually do written exercises in class. 5. She will make
a new discovery soon. 6. Steve will make a report at the conference. 7» They play
tennis all year round, 8. His friends never forgave his betrayal, 9, The manager offers
me several jobs. 10. They will promise you much, but don't imagine they will give you
everything. 11. His parents regularly sent him parcels with fruit from their garden. 12.
They will give me a leave in July if there is no urgent work. 13. The Spanish
government offered Columbus three ships, 14. They usually send their children to
camp for summer. 15. The officer charged him with a very important mission, 16, I'm
sure we'll settle the matter easily. 17. The policeman fined the driver for exceeding
the speed limit 18. Somebody calls her every day. 19. We request the passengers
leaving for London to register. 20. The manager will sign contracts tomorrow.

17. Change the following sentences into the Passive Voice. Example: He can do this work. — The work can be done (by him). 1. She can find a job easily. 2, The matter is urgent. They should phone her immediately. 3, The boss wants Mr. Black. You must find hi

Practice
Change the following sentences into the Passive Voice.
Example: He can do this work. — The work can be done (by him).
1. She can find a job easily. 2, The matter is urgent. They should phone her
immediately. 3, The boss wants Mr. Black. You must find him. 4. I can make an
interesting offer to you. 5. He's get a pay rise and LOW they can buy a new house. 6,
You must send the document as quickly as possible. 7. The weather is warm. She
may plant the flowers. 8. The document is of great importance. He must show it to
us. 9. He must give back the book on Sunday. 10. Their kitchen is large and they can
use it as a dining room. 11. Ecologists say that we should take care of our planet",
12. You must send for the doctor immediately. 13. The lecture is over. You may ask
questions. 14. You should avoid the center of town during1 rush hours. 15. They
agreed that the club should raise membership fee.