How to make passives in English. Passive and Active Voice in English

In this article we will study the rules of education passive voice V English language, and we will also use examples to understand in what cases it is used.

We are not always able to clarify who is performing the action, and sometimes we don’t need it at all. In such cases, it is appropriate to use the passive or passive voice, which in English is called passive voice. Let's look at what passive voice is and the rules for its formation, and then consider the cases of its use.

Education passive voice

There are two voices in English - active voice and passive voice. In the active voice, the action is performed by the subject. In the passive voice, the action occurs on the subject. Let's compare:

Mary cleans the office every morning. - Mary cleans up office every morning. (active voice)

The subject (Mary) performs the action (cleaning up).

The office is cleaned every morning. - Office clean up every morning. (passive voice)

It is unknown who is performing the action. The subject (the office) is subjected to the action (it is removed).

She asked her students to come earlier. - She asked students come earlier. (active voice)
The students were asked to come earlier. - Students asked come earlier. (passive voice)

The passive voice in English is formed using the auxiliary verb to be and the semantic verb in the third form. In the place of the subject in affirmative sentences there will be a person or object on which the action will be performed. Look at the diagram below to see how active voice can be converted to passive voice.

Formation of the passive voice in different times presented in the table below. Band times Perfect Continuous, as well as the Future Continuous are not used in the passive voice.

To form a negative form of the passive voice, the particle not is required. We put it after the auxiliary verb. If there are several auxiliary verbs, put not after the first one.

I left my camera on the bench and it was not stolen! - I forgot the camera on the bench, and it not stolen!
The car has not been transported yet. - Another car not transported.

To ask a question in the passive voice, you need to put the auxiliary verb first.

Will the meeting be held next week? - I'll meet you will carry out next week?
Was the match canceled because of the weather? - Match canceled because of weather?

If there is a need to indicate who performs the action, at the end of the sentence we put the preposition by + the one who performs the action.

The book was written by an unknown author. - Book was written by an unknown author.
You will never be disappointed by your loyal employees. - You never you won't be disappointed with your loyal employees.

Use cases for passive voice

1. When the person performing the action is unknown, unimportant, or obvious. The action is more important than the person doing it.

   My project for English literature is ruined! Who did it? - My project on English literature spoiled! Who did it?
   Your delegation will be met at the airport. You will see a card with your name. - Your delegation will meet in an Aeroport. You will see a card with your name.
   You may go to your room. Your suitcase will be taken there in a minute. - You can go to your room. Your suitcase will bring there in a minute.

2. When we describe an action in news, headlines, advertisements.

   The local shop was robbed this morning. - Local store robbed this morning.
   A big discount will be provided for the first ten customers. - Big discount will be provided the first ten customers.

3. When we describe general facts, ideas, opinions.

   Quentin Tarantino is known all around the world. - Quentin Tarantino know Worldwide.
   His picture was described as the best artwork of the past year. - His picture was described, as the best work of the past year.

4. When we want to make a statement more polite or formal.

   Have you canceled the meeting? - You canceled meeting? (direct question)
   Has the meeting been canceled? - I'll meet you canceled? (a more polite question).

   You haven't paid for electricity since January! - You don't pay for electricity from January!
   The electricity hasn't been paid for since January. - For electricity don't pay From January.

Other forms of passive voice

Let's look at what other forms and constructions the passive voice can be used in.

1. The passive voice is also used in the following variants:
   

   Form	Formula	Example
   Present Infinitive	to be + V3	She hopes to be invited to the party. - She hopes that she will invite to the party. They expect the work to be done by the weekend. - They expect work will finish by the weekend.
   Perfect Infinitive	to have been + V3	He pretended to have been given money. - He pretended that he given money. He was really surprised to have been granted a certificate. - He was very surprised that he issued certificate.
   -ing form	being + V3	Nobody likes being treated badly. - Nobody likes being with him apply Badly. I hate being told what to do. - I hate it when I They say, what to do.
   Perfect -ing form	having been + V3	They admitted having been told about that. - They admitted that it was for them talked. I don't remember having been asked to help her. - I don't remember being asked help her.
   Modals	must/can be + V3	This rule must be taken into consideration. - This rule is must be accepted into account. It can be postponed till Tuesday. - This can be postponed till Tuesday.

2. Verbs to believe, to expect, to feel, to hope, to know, to say, to think, to report report), to understand (understand, imply) can be used in the passive voice only in two types of constructions: impersonal construction, personal construction. These constructions are needed when we do not need to refer to the opinion of someone specific. We are talking about generally known facts, general opinion.
   

   Design name	Formula	Example
   Impersonal construction	It + passive voice + that-clause	It is believed that they are from a very rich family. - Counts, What they are from a very rich family. It was expected that they would come on Friday. - Expected, What they will arrive on Friday.
   Personal construction	Subject + passive + to + infinitive	They are believed to be from a very rich family. - Counts, What they are from a very rich family. They were expected to come on Friday. - Expected, What they will arrive on Friday.

   Let's look again at how passive constructions are formed from sentences in the active voice.

   People say Anna is a gossiper. - People say that Anna is a gossip.
   It is said that Anna is a gossiper. - They say, What Anna is a gossip. (impersonal construction)
   Anna is said to be a gossiper. - They say, What Anna is a gossip. (personal construction)

   They know that Eric works for FBI. - They know Eric works for the FBI.
   It is known that Eric works for FBI. - Known, What Eric works for the FBI. (impersonal construction)
   Eric is known to work for FBI. - Known, What Eric works for the FBI. (personal construction)

3. When an action is performed by someone for us or for us, the construction have something done is used. As a rule, we can talk about the provision of any services. Sentences with this construction are constructed as follows:
   

   I did my nails yesterday. - I got a manicure yesterday.
   I had my nails done yesterday. - To me got a manicure yesterday.

   His parents will build a house tree. - His parents will build tree house.
   They will have their tree house built. - Them will build tree house.

   This design can be used at different times. Depending on the time, the auxiliary verb have.

   Time	Example in active voice	Example with the have something done construction
   Present Simple	She cleans my flat every weekend. - She cleans up I clean my apartment every weekend.	I have my flat cleaned every weekend. - My apartment clean up every weekend.
   Past Simple	I sent a parcel. - I sent parcel.	I had my parcel sent. - My parcel sent.
   Future Simple	We will paint the kitchen. - We let's paint kitchen.	We will have our kitchen painted. - Us will paint kitchen.
   Present Continuous	They are repairing the road. - They are repairing the road.	They are having the road repaired. - Them are repairing the road.
   Past Continuous	We were changing the wheel. - We changed wheel.	We were having the wheel changed. - Us changed wheel.
   Future Continuous	I will be doing make-up - I I will do makeup.	I will be having my make-up done. - To me will do makeup.
   Present Perfect	Our neighbors have just built a fence. - Our neighbors are only built fence.	Our neighbors have just had the fence built. - To our neighbors only built fence.
   Present Perfect Continuous	I have been washed the car for two hours. - I mine car for the last two hours.	I have been having the car washed for two hours. - I'm two o'clock wash car.
   Past Perfect	He had stolen the wallet. - He stole wallet.	He had had his wallet stolen. - Him stolen wallet.
   Past Perfect Continuous	She had been sewing the dress. - She sewed dress.	She had been having the dress sewed. - To her sewed dress.

   IN colloquial speech The auxiliary verb have is often replaced by get.

   I want to get my purchase delivered. - I want my purchase delivered.
   He got the door installed. - To him installed door.

We hope our article was useful to you and you understood the different forms of the passive voice. We suggest you take a short test.

Test on the topic “Passive voice - rules and examples”

"" is used to express an obligation coming from the speaker. Those. when the speaker says that he understands what he needs to do.

“ ” is an indispensable modal verb used in situations where we are talking about present or future obligations that cannot be violated.

“” is a well-known and frequently used verb that means “to be able to”, “to be able to”.

“ ” is a synonym for the verb “should”, its more polite version.

« Be supposed to" is a modal verb whose function is to tell what people need to do in accordance with the rules. Moreover, it is used when we talk about what is expected to happen.

Passive voice formula

What is the above mentioned: (to) be + V3? The answer is simple. When we change a sentence from "active" to "passive", we must change the predicate of the sentence. First, you need to put the verb “ to be" at the time used in the main sentence. Secondly, put the main verb in the third form (Past Participle).

So, to make a proposal with modal verb we need to put the verb “ be" in combination with a modal verb. It will look like this:

Must be(it should be)

Have to be(it should be)

Ought to be(should be)

Can be(May be)

Should be(should be)

Be supposed to be(it is believed that; it is assumed that;)

The second stage is the same placement of the main verb into the third form.

A little practice

The secretary must write a letter. / Secretary must write letter.

The letter must be written by the secretary. / Letter must be written secretary.

He has to do this test.

/ He must perform this test. This test has to be done. / by him This must be test completed.

themHe was supposed to send an email an hour ago. /, What It was assumed He letter will send hour.

back The email was supposed to be sent / He was supposed to send an email an hour ago. /, What by him an hour ago. letter electronic will will send hour.

sent

Try to change the sentences given in the article yourself from active voice ( Active Voice) to passive voice ( Passive Voice). This will allow you to remember the rule, as well as work out its transformation scheme in practice step by step.

In this section, we will look at how interrogative, negative and affirmative sentences are constructed. What's the most important thing to know? That's right, the most important thing is to correctly compose a sentence using the passive voice. That's why we have prepared tables for the passive voice of the English language, you won't have any difficulties with them!

What is the passive voice in English?

We can say that the passive voice is when the person who performs the action suffers because it is partially mentioned in the passive or is not affected at all.:

• Let's remember a couple of characteristics of the Passive voice rule
• When we change a sentence, the object becomes the subject.
• The passive voice can only be used (give, write, take, open etc.) Verbs such as: sleep, happen, come, go, seem are not used in the passive voice of the English language.
• In this form, we can mention who performed the action or we have the right not to mention.

To understand who performed an action, you need to use the preposition ‘by’.

Passive voice formula.

The formation of the passive voice in English is used according to the following formula:.

Subject + form of ‘to be’ + past participle + by + object
- A house has been built - The house was built.
OR

- A house has been built by my husband - The house was built by my husband.

Did you find out how the passive voice is formed in English?! Now you can move on to the tables with examples.

Passive voice in English: tables with examples

Remember that tense forms of the passive voice are used in the same cases as the corresponding forms of the active voice.

Table of indefinite tenses of the passive voice:

• Examples of sentences with tenses in the passive voice
  Passive voice Present Simple:
• Past Simple Passive:
  - Our institute was established in 1930 - Our institute was founded in 1930.
• Future Simple Passive:
  — These competitions will be held in Moscow.
• Passive Future-Simple-in-the-past:
  - She said that the annual swimming competition would be held in a few days - She said that the annual swimming competition would take place in a few days.

Long passive tenses

In this table we will cover long times such as: Present Continuous passive voice, Past Continuous passive.

Examples:

• Passive Present Continuous:
  - The question is being discussed - The question is being discussed.
• Passive Past Continuous:
  — Were new records being established when I arrived? – Were new records set when I arrived?

Perfect tenses of the passive voice

Perfect tenses that will be in this table: Passive voice Present Perfect, Past Perfect Passive voice, Future Perfect, Future Perfect-in-the-past in the passive voice.

Examples with the above aspects:

• Present Perfect Passive:
  - These splendid houses have been built this year - These magnificent houses were built this year.
• Passive Past Perfect:
  - The game had been finished by 3 o’clock yesterday - The game was over by three o’clock yesterday.
• Future Perfect Passive:
  - The letter will have been sent by Friday - The letter will be sent by Friday.
• Passive Future Perfect-in-the-past:
  - He said that the construction of the new stadium would have been finished by the end of the year - He said that the construction of the new stadium would be completed by the end of the year.

) expresses the PERSON (or OBJECT) who PERFORMS THE ACTION. The action is directed to the person (or thing) expressed by a noun or pronoun in the complement function.

IN passive voice SUBJECT (noun or pronoun) expresses the PERSON (or OBJECT) TO WHICH THE ACTION is DIRECTED, expressed by a predicate verb. The action is performed by a person or object, expressed by a noun or pronoun in the complement function with the preposition by (by whom). But the complement in the passive voice is often absent, since the main focus is not on the person (or thing) performing the action, but on the object of the action and its result.

Please note

Intransitive verbs, i.e. verbs that cannot have a direct object (to live, to arrive, etc.), cannot be used in the passive voice form.

Passive Voice Education

Passive Voice is formed using the auxiliary verb to be in the appropriate tense and Participle II of the semantic verb (or the third form of the semantic verb).

to be (changeable part) + Participle II (unchangeable part)

Depending on the tense form used, the verb to be changes, which is an indicator of person, number and tense.

The letter is written. The letter has been written.
The letter was written. The letter was written.
The letter will be written. The letter will be written.

Verb to write in Passive Voice (in the affirmative form)

Verbs in Continuous Tenses in English are rarely used in Passive Voice.

Affirmative form

Passive form of the verb to tell in Simple/Indefinite Tenses

The text is written. (Present Indefinite Passive)
The text has been written.

I am sent to Moscow.(Present Indefinite Passive)
I am being sent to Moscow.

The boy was taken to the Zoo.(Past Indefinite Passive)
The boy was taken to the zoo.

This book was being translated by two students.(Past Continuous Passive)
This book was translated by two students.

I have been invited to the theatre.(Present Perfect Passive)
I was invited to the theater

The work will have been finished by Sunday.(Future Perfect Passive)
The work will be completed by Sunday.

Negative form

Negative form is formed using the negative particle not, which is placed after the first auxiliary verb.

I am not sent to Moscow. (Present Indefinite Passive)
They don't send me to Moscow.

The book was not being translated.
(Past Continuous Passive)

The book has not been translated.
The students were not shown a new text-book.(Past Indefinite Passive)

The students were not shown the new textbook.
I have not been invited to the hearte.(Present Perfect Passive)

I was not invited to the theater. The work will don't have
was finished by Sunday. (Future Perfect Passive)

The work will not be completed by Sunday.

Interrogative form Interrogative form

is formed by placing the first auxiliary verb before the subject.
Is the text written? (Present Indefinite Passive)

Has the text been written?
Am I sent to Moscow? (Present Indefinite Passive)

Am I being sent to Moscow?
Was the boy taken to the Zoo? (Past Indefinite Passive)

The boy was taken to the zoo?
Were the students shown a new text-book? (Past Indefinite Passive)

Have the students been shown the new textbook?
Have you been invited to the theater? (Present Perfect Passive)

Have you been invited to the theater?
Had the text been written by Sunday? (Past Perfect Passive)

Was the text written by Sunday?
Shall I have been invited there? (Future Perfect Passive)

Will I be invited there?

Interrogative-negative form

IN INTERROGATIVE-NEGATIVE FORM, the auxiliary verb to be or the first auxiliary verb in the complex form is placed before the subject, and the negation not after the subject. Is the text not written
? The text is not written?
Has Is Has the text been written? not written

not been written

Short forms:
I am shown.= I’m shown.
He is shown.= He’s shown.

The text has not been written.= The text hasn’t been written, etc.

Use

• The passive voice is used:

1. When the fact or subject of the action is of greater interest than the actor himself.
My window was broken yesterday. My window was broken yesterday.

(To me, it's more important that the window was broken than who broke it.)
This school was built in a short time. This school was built in a short time.

• (We are not interested in who built the school. The main thing is that it was built quickly.)

2. When the character is unknown or for some reason it is considered unnecessary to mention him.
My case was stolen. My suitcase was stolen.

(The main thing is the fact of theft. Who stole it is unknown.)

• Business letters are written on special forms. Business letters are written on special forms. 3. In constructions with a formal subject it, when verbs in the passive voice denote mental or physical perception, proposal, order, decision, etc. (with verbs such as to say - speak , to announce -, to explain - explain, to think - think, to know - know, to believe - believe, to demand - demand, to decide - decide, to agree - agree and etc.). This construction (in the passive voice) is followed by a subordinate clause with the conjunction that.

It is said that she turned the job down. They say she refused the job.
She is expected to win. They expect her to win.
Radio is known to have been invented by Popov. It is known that radio was invented by Popov. (Radio was invented by Popov.)

Please note:

1. In English, the passive voice is used more often than in Russian. This is because, due to the lack of an ending system in English, there is no formal difference between a noun or pronoun, which can be a direct object, an indirect object without a preposition, or with a preposition. Therefore, in the passive voice, the subject can be not only a direct object, but also an indirect one with or without a preposition.
2. The passive voice does not have a Perfect Continuous, a Future Continuous, or a Future Continuous-in-the-Past. Instead, the corresponding tenses of the non-continuous form are used.

The past and future tenses of the Perfect group of the passive voice are used quite rarely, and the present tense of the Perfect group (Present Perfect) is often used with the verbs to ask, to send, to tell, etc.

In English, as in Russian, there is active voice(Active Voice) and passive(or passive) pledge (Passive Voice).

Use of passive voice.

1. When on its own the action is more important than the performer, and the speaker wants to point specifically to the action. For example:

A courier delivers mail every day. - The courier delivers mail every day. (Active Voice)
The mail is delivered every day. - Mail is delivered every day. (Passive Voice)

In the first sentence we indicate performer of the action, and in the second we use passive voice, since we want to emphasize the action itself, the fact of delivery, and not its performer.

2. Passive voice is used if the performer of the action is unknown, unimportant, or clear from the context:

These clothes are made in Italy. - These clothes are made in Italy.
The new laws will be discussed tomorrow. - New laws will be discussed tomorrow.

Therefore, in newspapers headlines and articles, V advertisements, instructions, advertising texts The passive voice is used more often than the active voice:

The valuable painting was stolen from the museum last night. - A valuable painting was stolen from the museum last night.
The company was sold. - The company was sold.
Our vegetables are not sprayed with pesticides. - Our vegetables are not sprayed with pesticides.

3. Passive voice is used when talking about unpleasant situations and do not want to blame anyone, and also to give the statement more polite character:

The party was spoilt. - The party was ruined.

The order wasn’t dispatched yesterday but it will be done tomorrow. - The order was not sent yesterday, but it will be done tomorrow.

Temporary forms.

All tense forms of the passive voice consist of two parts: verb to be in a specific tense form And third form of the verb(past participle or Past Participle). As in the active voice, there are various tenses and forms in the passive voice, which we will consider.

It's important to remember that the third form of the verb is always present and remains unchanged in all tense forms of the passive voice. We determine the actual time of utterance by the form of the verb to be. Let's compare the forms of active and passive voice:

In the Perfect Continuous (Present, Past and Future) and Future Continuous tenses, the passive voice is not used. If it becomes necessary to use one of these tenses, they are replaced by the active voice or another tense.

To remember all forms of passive voice and the features of their use, let's turn to examples and explanations. We will look at the most commonly used forms of passive voice.

If letters are written right now, at the time of speech, then we use Present Continuous Passive:

A very common mistake is using the Present Simple Passive instead of the Present Continuous Passive. Do not forget that in all tenses of the Continuous group there must be a verb ending -ing, even in the passive voice. The word being indicates the procedural nature of the action. If you forget about the auxiliary verb being, your statement changes meaning and turns into Present Simple. Compare:

Past Simple Passive is used to describe historical events when the action itself (historical event, discovery) is more important than who performed it or it is unknown who performed the action:

The telephone was invented in 1876. - The telephone was invented in 1876.
The scientists say that this sculpture was made in the Roman Empire. - Scientists claim that this sculpture was made in the Roman Empire.

In the first example, the name of the inventor of the telephone is not important to us, but in the second we can only guess who made the sculpture.

I couldn’t drive yesterday at 6 o’clock. My car was being serviced. - I couldn't use the car at six o'clock. My car was being repaired.
While I was waiting, the room was being cleaned. - While I was waiting, the room was being cleaned.

Once again I remind you that if an action implies process, then the second auxiliary verb being is used.

Present Perfect Passive is often used when conveying news, if the performer of the action unimportant, unknown or vice versa, clear from context:

The annual budget has been adopted. - The annual budget has been adopted.
The protests have been suppressed. - The protests were suppressed.

In the examples given, which can easily be heard on the news, the actor behind the action is not indicated, because it is already clear to us who passes the budget, suppresses protests and arrests robbers.

If in your offer two actions and one of them happened before the other, this should be indicated using Past Perfect:

She got into a car and remembered that the door hadn't been locked. - She got into the car and remembered that the door was not closed.
We came in and saw that the room had been cleaned. - We entered and saw that the room had been cleaned.

If you have forgotten in what cases Past Perfect is used, we recommend taking a look.

Concerning future tenses, their functions in the passive voice do not differ from those in the active voice. Often passive forms of future tenses are used in promises and assurances. For example:

The room will be cleaned tomorrow, I promise. - The room will be cleaned tomorrow, I promise.
The report will have been finished by midday. - The report will be completed by noon.

"Agent of action" and transfer from active to passive voice.

Despite the fact that in the passive voice the action is more significant than its performer (action agent), it can be specified in the sentence when necessary. The agent is introduced into the sentence with the preposition BY:

The telephone was invented by Alexander Bell. - The telephone was invented by Alexander Bell.
The damage was caused by the hurricane. - The damage was caused by a hurricane.

When transforming a sentence from active to passive voice, the object becomes the subject and the subject becomes the agent:

To indicate in passive voice item, instrument, material or ingredient with the help of which the action was carried out, the preposition WITH is used:

The door was opened with a crowbar. - The door was opened with a crowbar.
The toys are made with paper, plastic or rubber. - Toys are made from paper, plastic or rubber.

When converting from active to passive voice, do not indicate the agent if the agent of the action unimportant, unknown or obvious, and also if in the active voice the following is indicated as the subject: people, somebody, someone, one, they:

If we want to find out who the performer of an action is, we use the question words WHO or WHAT, and at the end of the question the preposition BY:

Who was telephone invented by? - Who invented the telephone?
What was the damage caused by? - What caused the damage?

Verbs with two objects and verbs with prepositions.

Difficulties arise with verbs that can have two objects: bring, give, offer, pay, promise, read, sell, send, show, take, teach, tell and others.

Because these and many other verbs have two objects, they can form two sentences in the passive voice. However, when translating into the passive voice, the subject is usually made of a person, not an object:

If the active voice is used phrasal verbs , and those verbs followed by pretext, then in the passive voice the preposition must be preserved:

Passive voice is more typical for writing than for oral. Passive voice is more often used in business communication than in everyday life. Passive voice predominates in scientific English, when describing processes, V instructions and rules.

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