THE PASSIVE VOICE
The action is stressed
Look at these sentences:
Second-hand books are sold here.
The dog was found yesterday.
We will be fired next month.
WHAT DO THEY HAVE IN COMMON?
THE VERB “TO BE”
Second-hand books are sold here.
The dog was found yesterday.
We will be fired next month.
THE ACTION IN THE PAST PARTICIPLE:
Second-hand books are sold here.
The dog was found yesterday.
We will be fired next month.
Now, can you fill in the gaps?
Second-hand books are __________here.
The dog ________ found yesterday.
We will _______ fired next month.
Some passive sentences include the agent. How?
The criminal was caught by an old woman.
Cheetahs are killed by lions.
Our class is going to be given a prize by the Headmistress.
Now, write agents for these sentences:
He is being followed ________________
The ceremony is being recorded ___________
I was prescribed some tablets _____________
Now, correct the mistakes in the following sentences:
They being called names by the bullies.
Our music is listen to by teenagers.
The books was written in the nineteenth century.
Key:
They ARE being called names by the bullies.
Our music is listenED to by teenagers.
The books WERE written in the nineteenth century.
Look at these sentences in the active voice:
The judge convicted the old man.
This big company exploits its employees.
Somebody has phoned the fire brigade.
In the passive:
The old man was convicted by the judge.
The employees are exploited by this big company.
The fire brigade has been phoned.
Now do the same with these:
The hurricane destroyed the city.
They are cleaning all the rubbish.
Someone was feeding the animals.
Key:
The city was destroyed by the hurricane.
All the rubbish is being cleaned.
The animals were being fed.
Let’s try again:
Find the verb in this sentence:
The dogs are eating the food
The dogs ARE EATING the food
Present continuous:
am/is/are + verb-ing
Notice that
In the passive voice, the object becomes the subject:
Active: The dogs are eating the food
Passive: The food...
Passive: always the verb “to be”
The tense: the same as in the active voice.
Active: The dogs are eating the food.
Passive: The food is being…
We have replaced the main verb with the verb “to be”
Next step: the main verb in past participle
Active: The dogs are eating
Main verb (important action): EAT
Past participle of eat is...
EATEN
So, first you copy the tense, then you copy the verb, but in the past participle:
The food is being eaten by the dogs
(agent: the dogs)
Now try with these:
Everybody is singing our songs
The boss has fired me.
We will always remember you.
Our songs are being sung by everybody.
I have been fired.
You will always be remembered.