The Passive Voice

• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

The Passive

VWO 4

Think of a definition for the word ''PASSIVE'

For Annie

Thank Heaven! the crisis,   The danger, is past,   And the lingering illness   Is over at last—   And the fever called "Living"   Is conquered at last.   

Edgar Allen Poe wrote this poem.

Subject

Verb

Object

The Passive

Used to express information in an impersonal / objective way.

This poem was written.

Edgar Allen Poe wrote this poem.

Subject

Verb

Object

This poem was written by Edgar Allen Poe. 

Object

Verb

Subject

Edgar Allen Poe wrote this poem.

Subject

Verb

Object

This poem was written by Edgar Allen Poe. 

Object

Verb

Subject

1

2

3

Object = Subject

Verb: to be + past participle

Adding a by-adjunct

Part 1

Object

=

subject

Sadly, I know  

I am shorn of my strength,  

And no muscle I move   As I lie at full length—   But no matter!—I feel  

I am better at length. 

Find the object (lijd. vw.) in a sentence

The Wright Brothers flew the airplane.

Mozart composed a sonata.

He has written a long report. 

Jane is stealing a bike.

Find the object:
1/3. The cleaner has cleaned the office.

Find the object:
2/3. They are building a new stadium near the station.

Find the object:
3/3. By next year the students will have studied the passive.

Part 2

Changing the verb

And I rest so composedly,     

Now, in my bed, 

That any beholder     

Might fancy me dead --  Might start at beholding me,     

Thinking me dead.

Verb: to be + past participle

The Wright Brothers flew the airplane. was flown.

Mozart composed a sonata. was composed

He has written a long report. has been written

Jane is stealing a bike. is being stolen

Find the verb:
1/3. speak

Find the verb:
2/3. built

Find the verb:
3/3. has cleaned

Part 3

by- adjunct

The moaning and groaning,     

The sighing and sobbing, 

Are quieted now,     

With that horrible throbbing  At heart: -- ah, that horrible,      Horrible throbbing!

By- adjunct (new object)

The airplane was flown by the Wright Brothers.

A sonata was composed by Mozart.

A long report has been written (by him).

A bike is being stolen (by her).

Compare

Many car accidents are caused...

My wallet was stolen...

Write the Passive:
1/3: Somebody has drunk all the milk!

Write the Passive:
2/3: James might cook dinner.

Write the Passive:
3/3: The wolf ate the princess.

But my heart it is brighter  

Than all of the many   Stars in the sky,  

For it sparkles with Annie—  

It glows with the light  

Of the love of my Annie—   With the thought of the light   Of the eyes of my Annie.