The passive voice in English, or Passive Voice, serves to emphasize that the subject is not performing any action. Wait, you say, what about the predicate, which is always present in English sentences? The secret is that the action it expresses is directed at the subject by some other performer. It doesn't matter to us whether it is listed or not.
Don’t be afraid of this linguistic phenomenon - it is very logical and even - let’s not be afraid of this word - simple. Passive Voice in English is formed using the verb to be, which must be consistent with the subject in number, person and tense, and the third form of the semantic verb ( V3).
You are very lucky: unlike the active - Active Voice, the passive voice boasts only ten tenses:
- Present Simple: am/is/are + V3The flowers are watered twice a week— Flowers are watered twice a week.
- Present Continuous: am/is/are + being + V3The student is being listened to attentively at the moment— The student is being listened to attentively at the moment.
- Present Perfect: have/has + been + V3The pictures have been painted this week— The pictures were painted this week.
- Past Simple: was/were + V3The village was built in 1658— The village was built in 1658.
- Past Continuous: was/were + being + V3
Children were being played with at 10 in the morning yesterday— Yesterday at 10 am we were playing with the children. - Past Perfect: had + been + V3The road had been destroyed before the troops entered the city— The road was destroyed before the troops entered the city.
- Future Simple: shall/will + be + V3A new movie theater will be built here in a year— A new cinema will be built here in a year.
- Future Perfect: shall/will + have + been + V3All the work in the garden will have been finished by 3 p.m.— All work in the garden will be finished by three o'clock.
- Future-in-the-Past Simple: should/would + be + V3He said that a new servant would be brought to the house the following week“He said that a new servant would be brought to the house next week.”
- Future-in-the-Past Perfect: should/would + have + been + V3We were informed that the contest would have been interrupted by 3 o'clock— We were informed that the competition would be interrupted at three o'clock.
The passive voice in English has wide scope of use: in addition to colloquial constructions, Passive can often be found in scientific literature, instructions, textbooks, etc. Remember that:
- To form an interrogative sentence you will need to move the auxiliary verb to a position before the subject:
Will the cake be eaten at once or in a few days?— Will the cake be eaten immediately or in a few days?
- For a negative form, it is enough to put the particle not after the auxiliary verb:
The hospital was not reconstructed after the Great Patriotic War— After the Great Patriotic War, the hospital was not rebuilt.
The passive voice arsenal will also allow you to construct sentences with modal verbs and even in the imperative mood! However, be careful. Don't get confused by the word order:
Go away from the firing range, you can be killed - Leave the training ground, they might kill you.
Drop back or be captured! - Retreat or be captured!
What should you do if you need to mention the performer of an action in a sentence? Prepositions will help you here:
- by- for an animate figure:
The letter was written by my mother — The letter was written by my mother.
- with- for the instrument with which the action is performed:
The tea will be stirred with a spoon
— The tea will be stirred with a spoon.
And finally, let's discuss the difficult points that you will have to memorize and practice in writing and speaking:
- In English, many verbs require specific pretext and form with them Prepositional Passive, and this preposition does not disappear anywhere:
She is spoken of as a woman of great talents“They talk about her as a woman of great talents.”
The surgeon has been just sent for - The surgeon has just been sent for. - Verbs to sell- sell, to wash- wash, to peel- peel off the skin, to crease- hesitate, to wear- wear, to bake- bake, to burn— burn are used in the active form, although they will be translated into the native language in the passive form:
The blouse washes and wears well— The blouse washes and wears well.
The fairy-tales of this author sell well— This author’s fairy tales sell well - Remember a group of verbs that are not used in Passive Voice: to seem- seem to lack- to be lacking, to become- become, to fit- suit, to suit- arrange, to resemble- remind:
Mary resembles her grandmother Jane— Mary looks like her grandmother Jane.
They seem to read a lot of science fiction— They seem to read a lot of science fiction.
Summarize. The passive voice in English is fraught with many pitfalls that are easy to fall into. First of all, you need to realize that the subject does not perform any action, but is subjected to it. Then you need to choose the appropriate tense form and take care of prepositions. Finally, check the exclusion lists, just in case. Good luck!
06.11.2013The very presence of a form of passive voice (sometimes called passive) is not a peculiar feature characteristic only of English syntax. However, the passive voice in English is more widespread than in Russian, and the models for constructing sentences with it are somewhat more diverse.
In what cases is it preferable to use the passive voice? When it is not very important for the speaker who exactly performs the action, but it is important that it is performed and what object is directed at.
What is the difference between active and passive voices
To understand this issue, let's start with our native language.
Consider the difference between “I keep the rings in this box” and “The rings are kept in this box”? In the first case, in the center of attention and in the role of the subject is the one who acts - I. In the second case, the speaker is only interested in the fact itself: the rings are here, in this box. And it doesn’t matter who put them there, it’s not worth mentioning this subject, he’s so insignificant. This sentence is constructed in the passive voice, and its subject is a word that names not the subject of the action, but its object - the rings.
In English, this semantic difference between the examples remains:
- I keep my rings in this jewelry-box.
- The rings are kept in the jewelry-box.
The active voice emphasizes the subject of the action, while the passive voice emphasizes the action itself and the object with which it is performed.
Constructing a sentence in the passive voice
To “turn” an active structure into a passive one, you need to perform several steps:
- make the addition a subject: in our example it is rings,
- subject to be omitted (or translated into object),
- formulate the predicate verb in the passive: instead of keep – are kept.
Considering how many verb tenses there are in English, it is very useful to learn the very principle of forming the passive form. It consists of several words: the auxiliary verb to be in the appropriate tense, person and number (in our example it is are), followed by the main verb in the form Participle II (kept). For some times, quite heavy combinations are obtained, this is clearly visible in the summary table.
Formation of passive voice forms
| Present | Past | Future | Future in the Past | |
| Simple | The ring is kept. | The ring was kept. | The ring will be kept. | The ring would be kept. |
| Continuous | The ring is being kept. | The ring was being kept. | ||
| Perfect | The ring has been kept. | The ring had been kept. | The ring will have been kept. | The ring would have been kept. |
The semantic verb remains unchanged; all grammatical information (person, number, tense) is carried by the auxiliary verb to be: it is this verb that gives such cumbersome forms. The table also shows that Future Continuous, Future Continuous in the Past and all tenses of the Perfect Continuous group do not have a passive voice at all.
If a modal verb is used in the passive voice, then the model on which the sentence is constructed is greatly simplified: modal verb + be + main verb. For example, The rings can be kept in the jewelry-box.
To form a negative sentence, we place the particle not in its usual place after the auxiliary verb: The ring is not kept. If it itself consists of several words, then after the first: The ring is not being kept. As always, the abbreviation is acceptable: The ring isn’t being kept.
Negative sentences with passive voice
| Present | Past | Future | Future in the Past | |
| Simple | The ring is not kept. | The ring was not kept. | The ring will not be kept. | The ring would not be kept. |
| Continuous | The ring is not being kept. | The ring was not being kept. | ||
| Perfect | The ring has not been kept. | The ring had not been kept. | The ring will not have been kept. | The ring would not have been kept. |
In a general question, we put the auxiliary verb (or only its first part) first: Is the ring kept? Is the ring being kept?
In a special question, this structure remains intact, and we place a question word in front of it: Where is the ring kept?
Common Passive Questions
| Present | Past | Future | Future in the Past | |
| Simple | Is the ring kept? | Was the ring kept? | Will the ring be kept? | Would the ring be kept? |
| Continuous | Is the ring being kept? | Was the ring being kept? | ||
| Perfect | Has the ring been kept? | Has the ring been kept? | Will the ring have been kept? | Would the ring have been kept? |
English sentences in the passive do not always “lose” the subject performing the action. At the request of the speaker, it can be named; language provides the necessary means for this. Let's return to our example and add a small clarification to it: The rings are kept in the jewelry-box by me. The object of the preposition by indicates who is doing the action.(keeps rings in a box): in the active voice it was the subject I, now it is a prepositional object, used in the instrumental case: by me.
Additions to Passive Sentences
In such sentences, additions are often used that name those tools or means with the help of which the action is performed. The preposition is used with them with: The rings are cleaned with toothpaste.
Pretext of in such cases they use to designate the material: The rings are made of silver.
Features of the use of passive voice
1. The prevalence of passive and active voice varies in different languages. In particular, a number of English verbs can be used in the passive as a predicate with a direct object, although similar Russian words cannot.
For example, a sentence I show Maria the ring transforms into two different sentences in the passive:
- The ring was shown to Maria (The ring was shown to Maria).
- Maria was shown the rings (Maria was shown rings).
To translate such sentences into Russian, you have to use impersonal sentences without naming the person performing the action. If the subject is known, it can be translated in the active voice: Tom was told by his teacher to sit down (The teacher told Tom to sit down).
2. Another difficulty is English verbs with so-called postpositions, used in the passive. Postpositions retain their place after the verb: The rings were sent for (They sent for the rings). In translation, we put the word for (for the Russian language this is a preposition) before the noun - the subject.
The Passive Voice
Formation of the passive voice form
The passive voice of verbs in various tense forms is formed using the verb be + past participle (Past Participle). The rules for choosing tenses in the passive voice are the same as in the active voice. For example, if the sentence is about an action happening at the present moment, then the verb will be used in the form of the present continuous tense Present Continuous in both the active and passive voice.
Forms of the passive voice depending on tense:
Present Simple: am/are/is + Past Participle
The bestseller is sold in many countries.
This bestseller is sold in many countries.
Present Continuous: am/are/is + being + Past Participle
The museum is being reconstructed now.
The museum is currently being restored.
Past Simple: was/were + Past Participle
The documents were stolen last week.
The documents were stolen last week.
Past Continuous: was/were + being + Past Participle
The museum was being reconstructed in Decembe r.
Reconstruction took place in December museum.
Present Perfect Simple: have/has + been + Past Participle
The prediction rules have already been defined.
The principles of forecasting were already defined.
Past Perfect Simple: had + been + Past Participle
The sushi had been delivered when we came back home.
The sushi had already been delivered when we got home.
Future Simple: will + be + Past Participle
The contract will be signed tomorrow. The contract will be signed tomorrow.
Future Simple in the Past: would + be + Past Participle
He said that the contact would be signed tomorrow.
He said that the contract would be signed tomorrow.
Future Perfect: will + have been + Past Participle
The food will be delivered by 10 o’clock. The products will be delivered by 10 o'clock.
Future Perfect in the Past: would + have been + Past Participle
He said that the food would have been delivered by 10 o’clock.
He said that the food would be delivered by 10 o'clock.
Perfect Continuous tenses are not used in the passive voice. They try to replace them with the Perfect group or use them in the active voice, using the formal subject they/one:
By the next month they will have been Invest i gating the murder for over a year.
Next month it will be almost a year since theinvestigation of this murder.
The passive voice is used when the speaker's attention is concentrated on the person or thing on which the action is performed, and not on the person or thing that performs the action:
Someone locks the office every evening. Someone closes the office every evening. (Active voice)
The office is locked every evening. The office is closed every evening. (Passive voice)
Some one has invited Tom to the party. Someone invited Tom to a party. (Active voice)
Tom has been invited to the party. Tom was invited to a party. (Passive voice)
It should be noted that the object of a verb in the active voice (the office, Tom) becomes the subject in the passive form.
Using the Passive Voice
- The passive voice is used when it is not known which person or thing is the producer of the action:
His house was robbed two days ago. His house was robbed two days ago.
(The speaker does not know who robbed the house.)
- The passive voice is used when there is no need to mention the person or thing that performs the action, or when the performer of the action is not of interest:
Them in eral water side livered to the hotel every morning.
Mineral water is suppliedto the hotel every morning.
(There is no need to mention who the mineral water supplier is).
- The passive voice is used when it is clear from the context who or what is performing the action:
Football is played allover the world. Football is played all over the world.
(Everyone understands that football players play football).
After modal verbs, as well as after other constructions (for example, going to; have to; want to; would like to) be + Past participle is used:
The work cannot be done. This work cannot be done.
He does not want to be disturbed. He doesn't want to be bothered.
To express the past tense, the passive Perfect Infinitive form is used:
We should have been to ld about the danger.
We should have been told about the danger.
There is also an –ing form in the passive voice: being + Past Participle
I don't like being cheated. I do not like being fooled.
He hates being shouted at. He hates being yelled at.
Verbs with two objects in the passive voice
Some verbs can have two objects after them. These include the verbs offer, send, pay, promise, teach, tell, show, give.
In such cases, you can form two different sentences in the passive voice:
Someone showed me the way. Someone showed me the way.
(me and the way are two additions)
- I was shown the way. They showed me the way.
- The way was shown to me. The path was shown to me.
In English, it is preferable to start a sentence with a person, so the first sentence sounds more natural.
If there is a need to mention in a sentence a person or thing performing an action, then a preposition is used to introduce it into the sentence by:
‘Imagine’ was composed and sung by John Lennon.
Composed and sang the song “Imagine” John Lennon.
If there is a need to mention an object in a sentence, such as a tool necessary to perform an action or a material with which the action is performed, a preposition is used with:
He was hit with an umbrella. He was hit with an umbrella (weapon)
The safe was blown with dynamite. The safe was blown up with dynamite (gun)
The cake was made with dried fruit Cake made from dry fruits (material)
The garage was painted with a new kind of paint. The garage was painted with a new type of paint (material).
When it comes to what people think, say, believe, you can use two forms in the passive form. For example,
Active voice:
People say that Mr Ross is a good producer.
People
Passive 1: It + passive + that + clause:
It is said that Mr Ross is a good producer.
They say that Mr. Ross is a good director.
Passive 2: Subject+ passive+ to infinitive:
Mr Ross is said to be a good producer.
They say that Mr. Ross is a good director.
Usually these forms in the passive voice are used in formal style
With the following verbs: say, think, report, expect, believe, claim, know, understand,
It is reported that the president is seriously ill.
The President is reported to be seriously ill.
A new law is expected to be introduced next year.
The new law is expected to be adopted next year.
He is supposed to have been married before. It is believed that he was previously married.
Construction “Havesomethingdone"
This construction is used to express a situation in which other people are involved in performing some action.
It is formed as follows:
Have + object (direct object) + Past Participle:
I must have my glasses mended.
My glasses need to be fixed.
We had our computer serviced last week.
Our computer was repaired last week.
I’m having a garage built at the moment.
They are building my garage now.
However, this construction can be used when no one is involved in performing the action, but when something unpleasant or unexpected happens to someone:
I had my leg broken when I fell off the ladder.
I broke my leg when I fell down the stairs.
Peter had his flat burgled while he was out at work.
Peter's apartment was robbed while he was at work.
Used in the active form of voice - “the Active Voice” and in the passive form ( passive) - "the Passive Voice". In the active voice, the subject performs the action indicated by the verb, and in the passive voice, the verb itself acts on the subject. She wrote a book (Active) - A book was written by her (Passive). So easy! But let's clarify some details just in case. C"mon.
What is passive voice?
Passive voice widely used in both spoken and written modern English. Often, passive constructions are used when there is no need to name the performer of an action, and also if there is no difference in who exactly performs this action - only the result is important.
The passive voice is used to show interest in the object that experiences the action, rather than in the object that performs it.
The book was written last Monday. - The book was written last Monday.
In this sentence, the subject “the book” experiences the action of the subject, that is, the book itself did not write itself, but was written by someone. In this case, most likely, it is known who wrote it, but what is important here is the fact of the action (the book has been written, and it is ready), and not the performer. That is why the sentence is used in the passive voice.
When it is necessary to indicate the performer of an action in the passive voice, we add the preposition “ by» :
The book was written by me. - This book was written by me.
Formation of the passive voice in different tenses
The passive voice is formed using the auxiliary verb " be» and shapes Past Participle(of a semantic verb in the 3rd form) and only transitive verbs (denote an action that, in its meaning, transfers to a certain object) can form forms of passive voice.
| Time | Formula | Example |
| Present Simple | is/am/are + Ved (V3) | Mails are sent every day. - Parcels are sent every day. |
| Past Simple | was/were + Ved (V3) | Mails were sent yesterday. - The parcels were sent yesterday. |
| Future Simple | will/shall + be + Ved(V3) | Mails will be sent tomorrow. - The parcels will be sent tomorrow. |
| Present Continuous | is/am/are + being + Ved (V3) | Mails are being sent now. - Parcels are being sent now. |
| Past Continuous | was/were + being + Ved (V3) | Mails were being sent at 5 yesterday. - Parcels were sent at 5 o'clock yesterday. |
| Future Continuous | — | — |
| Present Perfect | has/have + been + Ved (V3) | Letters have already been sent. - The letters have already been sent. |
| Past Perfect | had + been + Ved (V3) | Letters had been sent before he phoned. - The letters were sent before he called. |
| Future Perfect | will/shall + have/has+ been +Ved (V3) | Letters will have been sent by 5 tomorrow. - Letters will be sent tomorrow before 5 o'clock. |
| Perfect Continuous | — | — |
Attention: The Perfect Continuous is not used at all in the passive voice. And Continuous time has no future segment.
In addition, you can also form passive sentences with two objects. So an active sentence in passive voice might look like this:
Active Voice:
Linda gave an apple to me.
Passive Voice:
An apple was given to me by Linda or
I was given an apple by Linda.
One of the two objects becomes the subject, while the other remains the object. Which object becomes the subject depends on what you focus on.
Negative and interrogative forms of verbs in the passive voice
Negative the verb form is formed using the particle " not”, which follows the auxiliary verb (if there are several auxiliary verbs, then “not” is placed after the first one):
The cat was not fed by him yesterday. - The cat was not fed it yesterday.
The cat was not often left hungry. - The cat was not often left hungry.
Nothing complicated and interrogative form. To form such in the passive voice first auxiliary verb is put before the subject:
Are are you often invited to the circus? -Are you often invited to the circus?
Has the book was written by her? - Was the book written by her?
To be born
This passive form is often used in the past tense, but in some cases the present or future tense is also appropriate.
We say "I was born" (was born) - I was born(not I am born). Action refers to the past:
I was born in Chicago. - I was born in Chicago.
Where were you born? - Where you were born?
But if we talk not about ourselves, but about the birth of children in a general sense, then the Present can be used depending on the situation:
How many kids are born every day? - How many children are born every day?
Around 100 babies are born in this hospital every week. - About 100 babies are born in this hospital every week.
We don't know on exactly which day the baby will be born.
Modal verbs
First you need to remember the most commonly used modal verbs:
- can- be able to, be able to. I can do that. - I can do it;
- should- verb-adviser. When you need to advise or recommend something. You should be careful. - You should be careful;
- must- a verb expressing the speaker’s obligation or prohibition. Shows awareness of the speaker's obligation to do something or is used to indicate a prohibition, for example: You musn"t smoke here. - You can't smoke here. I must admit. - I have to admit;
- have to- a verb expressing present or future obligations that cannot be broken. You have to do that. - You must do this;
- ought to- a synonym for the verb “should”, a more polite version of it. You ought to stop smoking. - You should quit smoking;
- be supposed to- a modal verb based on rules or expectations. That is, it is used when you need to say something that someone needs to do according to certain rules or when something is expected. You were supposed to save him, Batman! - You should have saved him, Batman (because Batman saves people or puts them in prison).
To compose a correct sentence with a modal verb in the passive voice, we need to put the verb “be” in combination with the modal. 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(to be considered that; to be assumed that).
In practice, "modal verbs" are used quite often. And since they can also have a passive form, there is a special case of use with them.
There is no difficulty here: after the modal verb we add “be” and put the main verb following it in the Participle II form. So, it's like: (to) be + past participle(3rd form of the verb).
The next step is to put the main verb in the third form:
The writer should write a book. - A writer should write a book.
The book should be written by the writer. - The book should be written by a writer.
He has to do this test. - He must complete this test.
This test has to be done by him. - This test must be performed by him.
They were supposed to leave the bed an hour ago. - They were supposed to vacate the bed an hour ago.
The bed was supposed to be left by them an hour ago. - It was assumed that the bed would have been vacated by them an hour ago.
Conclusion
As you can see, there is nothing complicated in this English section. You just need to determine the role of the subject: it acts or is acted upon. Then indicate the tense, the auxiliary verb, the ending of the predicate - and voila! In the bag. If so, the Passive Voice education table will help you.
Big and friendly EnglishDom family
There are two voices in English: active and passive. The passive voice (Passive Voice) in English is otherwise called passive, and the active voice (Active Voice) is called active.
When is it correct to use one or another collateral? It is important to understand the difference between passive and active voice.
How to distinguish between passive and active voice?
If subject denotes the thing or person doing the action , then the verb is used in the active voice form.
🔊 I write letters to my friend in Moscow.
I writing letters to my friend in Moscow.
If action is performed on the subject , then the verb is used in the passive voice.
Prepositions in the passive voice
Exist marker words highlighting the passive voice, are prepositions by And with. For details of their use, see table No. 1 below.
It is worth noting that the passive voice is used more often in English than in Russian. Tenses in the passive voice are chosen according to the same principles as in the active voice.. We will look at the formation of tenses in the following articles.
In what other cases is the passive voice used?
- If the narrator does not know or does not care who performed the action.
🔊 Some sculptures were stolen from an exhibition last weekend.
Sculptures were stolen from last weekend's exhibition.
- When the subject of the action or process is more important than the actor.
🔊The forest was destroyed by fire.
Forest was destroyed fire.
- If you deliberately don’t want to point out who performed the action.
🔊 The balloon has been burst.
The balloon burst.