6A The passive voice

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PASSIVE & ACTIVE VOICE

Normally, the performer of the action (= the doer) comes first and is the SUBJECT of the verb. We then use the active form of the verb. The other person or thing is made the object of the verb.

Example: An LAPD police officer arrested Amanda Bynes last night.

But, if you want to focus on the person or thing affected by the action, you make the person or thing the subject of the sentence and use the passive form.

Example: Amanda Bynes was arrested by an LAPD police officer last night.

THE PASSIVE VOICE

USE

• When we want to focus on the person or thing who is affected by an action.
• Who or what causes the action is often unknown or unimportant. If we do want to mention it, a prepositional phrase introduced by 'by' can be added.
• The use of the tenses in the passive is the same as in the active voice.

THE PASSIVE VOICE

FORM

A passive is formed by using the auxiliary verb 'to be' and adding the past participle of the verb. 

Example: 

Justin Bieber committed a crime.

A crime was committed by Justin Bieber.

THE PASSIVE VOICE

• PRESENT SIMPLE: is arrested
• PRESENT CONTINUOUS: is being arrested
• PAST SIMPLE: was arrested
• PAST CONTINUOUS: was being arrested
• PRESENT PERFECT: has been arrested
• PAST PERFECT: had been arrested
• FUTURE SIMPLE: will be arrested

Active or passive?
Since the Endangered Species Act was enacted in 1973, ...

1. ACTIVE
2. PASSIVE

Active or passive?
..., the island fox has shown the fastest recovery of any endangered mammal.

1. ACTIVE
2. PASSIVE

Active or passive?
These island foxes haven't been hunted for many, many years at this point, and have virtually no predators.

1. ACTIVE
2. PASSIVE

Active or passive?
But recently the island foxes' population has been declining.

1. ACTIVE
2. PASSIVE

Active or passive?
The population on Santa Catalina Island has been exposed to canine distemper, ...

1. ACTIVE
2. PASSIVE

Active or passive?
..., a mainland disease that might have been transmitted by an infected raccoon.

1. ACTIVE
2. PASSIVE

What is the right form?
to explain, future simple
The plan ... by the mayor tonight.

1. is being explained
2. will be explained
3. will be explain
4. is explained

What is the right form?
to repair, present continuous
My bike ... at the moment.

1. is being repair
2. will be repaired
3. is being repaired
4. is repaired

What is the right form?
to teach, present perfect
Latin ... for centuries at our schools.

1. is taught
2. is being teached
3. has been taught
4. has been teached

What is the right form?
to take, past simple
The dog ... to the vet's.

1. was taken
2. is taken
3. has been taken
4. was token

What is the right form?
to take, past perfect
The banner ... taken down before the kind arrived.

1. had taken
2. had been taken
3. has been taken
4. was token

What is the right form?
to pay, past perfect - to cut, past simple
She ... her bill in time and still the gas supply ... off.

1. has paid ... was cut
2. had been paid ... was cut
3. had paid ... cut
4. had paid ... was cut

Change the sentence from active to passive. (don't use the by-agent!)
My assistant sent you the invoice last Monday.
The invoice...

Change the sentence from active to passive. (don't use the by-agent!)
When will they install the new software?

Change the sentence from active to passive. (don't use the by-agent!)
Your parents expect better results soon.

Change the sentence from active to passive. (don't use the by-agent!)
After the storm had destroyed the bridge, we were stuck on the island.