Passives

Passive Sentences in English

Passive voice is used to shift the focus of a sentence from the subject performing the action to the object receiving the action. This can be useful for emphasizing the action itself or the recipient of the action, rather than the doer.


Structure of Passive Sentences

Form: Subject (receiver) + form of “to be” + past participle + (by + agent)

  • Subject (receiver): The person or thing receiving the action.
  • Form of “to be”: Varies based on the tense (am, is, are, was, were, be, being, been).
  • Past participle: The main verb in its past participle form.
  • (By + agent): The doer of the action (optional, can be omitted if unknown or unimportant).

Examples:

  • Present Simple: The cake is baked by the chef.
  • Past Simple: The letter was written by Sarah.
  • Future Simple: The project will be completed by the team.
  • Present Continuous: The house is being painted by John.
  • Past Continuous: The song was being sung by the choir.
  • Present Perfect: The homework has been done by the student.
  • Past Perfect: The dinner had been cooked by my mother.

Uses of Passive Voice

  1. Emphasis on the action or recipient:
    • Example: The Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo da Vinci.
    • Focuses on the painting rather than the painter.
  2. When the doer is unknown or irrelevant:
    • Example: The window was broken.
    • The doer is unknown or unimportant.
  3. Formal or scientific writing:
    • Example: The experiment was conducted by the researchers.
    • Often used in academic and professional contexts.

Examples of Active and Passive Voice

  1. Active: The chef cooks the meal.
    • Passive: The meal is cooked by the chef.
  2. Active: The company will launch the new product.
    • Passive: The new product will be launched by the company.
  3. Active: The students are writing the essays.
    • Passive: The essays are being written by the students.
  4. Active: The team had won the match.
    • Passive: The match had been won by the team.

It’s important to note that passive voice is not always the most effective choice in writing. Overusing passive constructions can make sentences sound wordy and less direct. Skilled writers balance active and passive constructions to maintain clarity and engagement in their writing.

Exercise 1: Change Active to Passive

Rewrite the following active sentences in the passive voice.

  1. The manager approved the report.
  2. The teacher is explaining the lesson.
  3. They will finish the project by next week.
  4. Someone has stolen my bike.
  5. The children were playing games.

Exercise 2: Identify Passive Sentences

Identify whether the sentences are in active or passive voice.

  1. The book was written by George Orwell.
  2. She completed the assignment on time.
  3. The results will be announced tomorrow.
  4. The computer is being repaired.
  5. They designed the new website.

Exercise 3: Complete the Sentences with Passive Voice

Fill in the blanks with the correct passive form of the verbs in parentheses.

  1. The cookies __________ (bake) by the children.
  2. The meeting __________ (hold) next week.
  3. The letter __________ (deliver) yesterday.
  4. The movie __________ (watch) by millions of people.
  5. The homework __________ (not do) by the student.

Exercise 1

  1. The report was approved by the manager.
  2. The lesson is being explained by the teacher.
  3. The project will be finished by next week.
  4. My bike has been stolen.
  5. Games were being played by the children.

Explanation:

  • Change the focus from the doer (subject) to the receiver (object) of the action.
  • Use the correct form of “to be” and the past participle of the main verb.
  • Add “by + agent” only if necessary.

Exercise 2

  1. Passive
  2. Active
  3. Passive
  4. Passive
  5. Active

Explanation:

  • Passive sentences typically include a form of “to be” and a past participle.
  • Active sentences focus on the subject performing the action.

Exercise 3

  1. were baked
  2. will be held
  3. was delivered
  4. is watched
  5. was not done

 

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