The rules of the English language are such that at the beginning of a sentence there is usually a word indicating the thing or person performing the action. For example:
I cook dinner every day.
— I cook dinner every day.
The action is expressed in the active voice, i.e. the person in this case"I", perform some action. The same idea can be expressed in another way:
Dinner is cooked every day. - Dinner is prepared every day.
As you can see, formally the place of the subject was taken by the word "lunch", although "lunch" does nothing by itself. This offer written in the passive voice, in other words Passive Voice. In such a sentence, it is important not who performs the action, but the action itself.
Rules for using the passive voice
When to use the passive voice?
- When it is not known who or what is doing the action.
- When the action itself is important, and not the one who performed it.
A passive voice is formed with the help of the verb to be in the required form and the third form of the semantic verb.
The passive voice has several forms. In this lesson, we will look at the forms of the simple present, past and future tenses. Let's present the forms of the passive voice in the table:
To ask a question in the passive voice, it is enough to remember how a question is asked in tenses present simple, past simple and Future Simple. In the first two cases, the verb to be is placed before the subject, in the second - the auxiliary verb will. For example:
Is the letter sent?
Was the car washed?
Will the house be bought?
Negation is formed using the particle "not": I won't be asked tomorrow.
If you want to emphasize by whom an action was performed, use a preposition by:
This book was written by Charles Dickens. This book was written by Charles Dickens.
If after by you use a pronoun, it will be in the indirect case:
The tickets were bought by me. The tickets were bought by me.
If it is important for you to indicate with what help the action is performed, use the preposition with:
Soup is eaten with a spoon. Soup is eaten with a spoon.
| By whom? | by |
| With what, with what? | with |
Important! Often used in the passive voice modal verbs. The proposal is structured as follows:
modal verb +be + V3
For example: It must be done tomorrow.
Important! Not all verbs can be used in the passive voice. These verbs include:
- to fly, to arrive
- to be, to become
- to have, to possess, to belong
- to come, to go, to last
It would be logical to ask what to do if we want to express an action that has just ended or is ongoing at the moment, using the passive voice. Everything is simple. You will be helped Present forms Perfect Passive and Present Continuous Passive.
As you remember, with help. The Present Perfect expresses the result of an action, and the Present Continuous describes the action that is happening at the moment. The same can be expressed with the passive voice.
Compare a few offers:
| ACTIVE COLOR | PASSIVE VOICE | |
| Present Continuous | I am wash ing the car. | The car is being wash ed. |
| Present Perfect | I have wash ed the car. | The car has been wash ed. |
As shown in the table, in the active voice the agent is the person, "I", and in the passive, the place of the subject is occupied by the object - "machine". The passive form in both tenses is built using the verb to be and the verb in the third form, while the verb to be changes in accordance with the chosen tense form:
| Present Continuous Passive | am/is/are + being + V3 |
| Present Perfect Passive | have/has + been + V3 |
As you can see, in the passive voice the Continuous form is expressed using the verb be with ending ing, and the Perfect form with the auxiliary verb have and the verb be in the third form.
Passive voice signal words
Important! The choice of the desired form of the passive voice will be prompted by the same signal words that are used with the forms of the active voice. Let's look at a few examples:
The windows are being clean ed at the moment.The football match is being play ed next Sunday.
the door has just been paint ed.
The cake hasn't been eaten yet.
As you can see, all signals are valid for both active and passive voices. And their place in the proposal is governed by the rules you already know.
To ask a question in the Present Perfect Passive or Present Continuous Passive, you need to change the word order in the sentence, for example:
Are you being followed?
What has it been made of?
Tasks for the lesson
Task 1. Expand the brackets using Passive Voice.
- The car (not/sell) yesterday.
- The ceiling (paint) next week.
- The paper (buy) by my father every week.
- A new house (build) here next year.
- much money (spend) yesterday in the shop?
- My clothes usually (iron) by my mother.
- Your article (publish) last month.
- The door (not/open).
Task 2. Translate.
- The shop is closed.
- Everyone trusts him.
- When will the film be shown?
- Yesterday the children were taken to the zoo.
- The song was not sung.
- Has your bag been stolen?
- They didn't tell me anything.
- Museums are visited by many people.
Task 3. Open the brackets using Present Perfect Passive or Present Continuous Passive
- Jeanette usually goes to school, but this month she (teach) at home.
- The problem just (solve).
- I can't find my purse. I think it (steal).
- A very good job recently (offer) to my brother.
- You breakfast still (cook).
- The office (repair) at the moment.
- You ever (bite) by a dog?
- The new bridge (build) at the moment.
Task 4. Change the sentences using the passive voice.
- I have already sold my flat.
- She is writing a letter.
- I buy bread every day.
- He will repair the bike.
- Is she using a computer at the moment?
- Someone broke the window.
- Mom has ironed my shirt.
- You can buy cheese in any supermarket.
Answer 1.
- wasn't sold
- will be painted
- is bought
- will be built
- Was a lot of money spent…
- are usually ironed
- was published
- isn't open
Answer 2.
- The shop is closed.
- He is trusted by everyone.
- When will the film be shown?
- The children were taken to the Zoo yesterday.
- The song wasn't sung.
- Was you bag stolen?
- I was told nothing./I wasn't told anything.
- Museums are visited by many people.
Answer 3.
- is being taught
- has just been solved
- has been stolen
- has recently been offered
- is still being cooked
- is being repaired
- Have you ever been…
- is being built
Answer 4.
- My flat has already been sold.
- A letter is being written.
- Bread is bought every day.
- The bike will be repaired.
- Is the computer being used at the moment?
- The window has been broken.
- My shirt has been ironed.
- Cheese can be bought in any supermarket.
AT active pledge the subject denotes the performer of the action, the person or object performing the described action, and the one to whom the action is directed, the so-called. “action receiver” in a sentence is an object.
Most offers have a valid deposit.
Offers valid pledge in English language
doer of action + I form of verb + receiver of action
For example:
The professor teaches the students.
The professor teaches students.
John washes the dishes.
John is washing the dishes.
Passive voice (Passive Voice)
AT passive voice the subject is a person or thing that is affected by another person or thing. In other words, the performer and recipient of the action are swapped, although the performer of the action may not be specified.
Offers passive voice in English are formed as follows:
action receiver + be + past participle
For example:
The students are taught.
Students are taught.
The dishes are washed.
The dishes are washed.
The passive voice is used:
1. Mainly in cases where the performer of the action is not mentioned in the proposal; he is either unknown, or the speaker does not consider it necessary to report him.
For example:
Is English spoken in many countries?
Is English spoken in many countries?
That book was written a few years ago.
This book was written several years ago.
2. When the performer of the action, although mentioned in the sentence, is not in the center of the speaker's attention; a noun or pronoun expressing the given of the performer of the action is introduced by the preposition by. Please note that in the active voice the performer of the action was the subject, in the passive voice it becomes the object.
For example:
The students are taught by the professor.
Professor teaches students.
The dishes are washed by John.
John does the dishes.
Also, in the sentence of the passive voice, another object can be used, attached by the preposition with, and describing how the action is performed, for example:
The dishes are washed with a bar of soap.
Dishes are washed with a bar of soap.
In English, the scope of the use of verbs in the passive voice is much wider than in Russian. So, any verb that takes a direct or indirect object can be used in the passive voice.
For example:
I gave him a book. (I gave him the book.)
A book was given to him. (The book was given to him.) = He was given a book. (He was given a book.)
They showed me a beautiful picture. (They showed me a beautiful picture.)
A beautiful picture was shown to me. (A beautiful picture was shown to me.) = I was shown a beautiful picture. (I was shown a beautiful picture.)
In English, in the passive voice, verbs that take a prepositional object can be used (for example: to attend to, to send for, and etc.). The proposed object is used as the subject of the passive phrase, and the preposition comes directly after the verb.
For example:
She went after him. – He was gone after.
She followed him. - Follow him.
Ways to translate the passive voice into Russian
There are three ways to translate the passive voice into Russian:
1. With the help of the verb “ be” + a short participle, for example:
Were his books translated into Russian?
Were whether his books translated into Russian?
2. Verbs ending in -sya, For example:
Letters are delivered by mailmen.
Letters delivered postmen.
3. Indefinitely personal turnover (this method of translation is possible in cases where the performer of the action is not mentioned in the English sentence), for example:
They were taught French last year.
Them taught French last year.
Examples of active and passive voice
The following table shows examples of active and passive voice in all possible tenses. Note that the passive voice is not used in tenses present perfect continuous, past perfect continuous, Future Perfect Continuous and Future Continuous.
| Active voice | Passive voice | |
| present simple | Once a week, Tom cleans the house. | Once a week, the house is cleaned by Tom. |
| Present Continuous | Right now, Sarah is writing the letter. | right now, the letter is being written by Sarah. |
| past simple | Sam repaired the car. | The car was repaired by Sam. |
| Past Continuous | The salesman was helping the customer when the thief came into the store. | The customer was being helped by the salesman when the thief came into the store. |
| Present Perfect | Many tourists have visited that castle. | That castle has been visited by many tourists. |
| Present Perfect Continuous | Recently, John has been doing the work. | |
| past perfect | George had repaired many cars before he received his mechanic's license. | many cars had been repaired by George before he received his mechanic's license. |
| Past Perfect Continuous | Chef Jones had been preparing the restaurant's fantastic dinners for two years before he moved to Paris. | |
| Future Simple will | Someone will finish the work by 5:00 PM. | The work will be finished by 5:00 PM. |
| Future Simple be going to | Sally is going to make a beautiful dinner tonight. | A beautiful dinner is going to be made by Sally tonight. |
| Future Continuous | At 8:00 PM tonight, John will be washing the dishes. | |
| Future Perfect | They will have completed the project before the deadline. | The project will have been completed before the deadline. |
| Future Perfect Continuous | The famous artist will have been painting the mural for over six months by the time it is finished. | |
| used to | Jerry used to pay the bills. | The bills used to be paid by Jerry. |
| would always | my mother would always make the pies. | The pies would always be made by my mother. |
| Future in the Past | I knew John would finish the work by 5:00 PM. | I knew the work would be finished by 5:00 PM. |
Passive voice (Passive Voice) is used in the event that the subject does not perform the action, but is affected by the predicate directed at it. From the context it is clear by whom the action is performed, or it is not essential. The emphasis is on the result of the action.
To form a verb in the form passive voice need to learn some rules. First, you need to pay attention to the rule of formation of verbs in correct form participle II (participle II). must be learned by heart. To form a verb in the form of a passive voice, the necessary form of the verb “to be” (tense, person, number), and the past participle (Participle II) of the main significant verb. Below are the verbs "to ask / to take" in the form passive voice tables in English:
Table 8 passive forms of the English verb
| present simple tense | Present Indefinite | am / is / are + taken / asked |
| Present continuous tense | Present Continuous | am / is / are + being + taken/ asked |
| Present perfect tense | Present Perfect | have / has + been + taken / asked |
| Past simple tense | past indefinite | was / were + taken / asked |
| Past long tense | Past Continuous | was / were + being + taken / asked |
| Past perfect tense | past perfect | had + been + taken/ asked |
| Future simple tense | Future Indefinite | will + be + taken/ asked |
| Future long tense | Future Continuous | not used |
| Future perfect tense | Future Perfect | will + have + been + taken/ asked |
Now we understand How is the passive voice formed? in English sentences. How is it properly used? AT active pledge the offer looks like this: “Mary often asks questions. “Mary often asks questions.” .
The same sentence in the passive voice looks different: Mary is often asked questions. Mary is often asked questions.
In this case, it is possible and even recommended to use the passive voice, since it is absolutely not important who performed the action.
To form an interrogative sentence, the subject must be preceded by:
Was your bag stolen? Has your bag been stolen?
The negative form of the passive voice is formed using the particle "not", which must be placed after the first auxiliary verb:
Tom has not been seen anywhere. Tom was nowhere to be seen.
How to translate the passive voice of English correctly?
There is a rule that is used not only in English, but also in Russian: a noun that is an object in a sentence with an active voice, in a sentence passive or passive voice becomes the subject, and vice versa. If there is an indication in the passive voice of the one who performs the action, in English this object/subject must be preceded by "by". It will be translated into Russian in the instrumental case form.
How to translate the passive voice (examples):
- Using short form participles of the passive voice - This house was built many years ago. This house was built many years ago.
- Using a verb ending in "s" or "sya" - The dinner is being cooked - Lunch is being prepared.
- If there is no one who performs the action in the sentence, you can use an indefinite personal sentence - She was given an interesting magazine. She was given an interesting magazine.
Despite the difficulty of learning the passive voice in English, to learn theme "Passive Voice" necessary, because in oral speech, and in writing it is used very often.
💡 Are you sure you understand the topic? Pass. 💡
Today we will learn how to build phrases in such a way as to emphasize the impact on any animate or inanimate object.
The article contains explanations of the rules and exercises.
Active, Passive Voice in English: Definition
What are active and passive voices? Active and Passive Voice are grammatical forms that determine how the object is related to the action, or how the effect produced is related to the object in the phrase. Present in every language. Known in English as:
- Active Voice.
- Passive voice.
Active, or the so-called real, voice is used most often: the author of the performed act is the subject, and the action itself is the predicate. The noun is active, since it itself makes an impact on someone or something.
Mike is doing his homework at the moment. Mike is doing his homework at the moment.
Passive Voice - passive, or the so-called Noun is used as an addition, and the action is used as a predicate, the impact is made on someone or something.
The homework is being done by Mike at the moment. - Homework performed by Mike at the moment.
Usage options
The passive voice complicates the perception of the statement too much, so the excessive use of such grammatical form not very welcome. However, there are separate options when it is impossible to do without the use of the passive voice:
- The author of the performed act is unknown (the act was carried out anonymously, it is not clear by whom or what the impact was made):
This book was ripped yesterday. This book was torn yesterday.
- The author of the impact is not significant (the person who committed the impact is not important):
The project will be finished by tomorrow. - The project will be finished tomorrow.
- The author of the action is already clear (obvious from the context):
The burglar was arrested last month. - The burglar was arrested last month.
- We care about the action itself, but not the author (in news headlines and announcements, when we are interested in what happened, and not who arranged it):
The jazz concert will be held on Tuesday. - A jazz concert will be held on Tuesday.
- The action can be carried out by anyone (in recipes, instructions):
The milk is heated and added to the dough. - The milk is heated and added to the dough.
- In documents (in official announcements, abstracts):
This article is meant as an example of a research paper. - This article is presented as an example of a research paper.
Active and Passive Voice Exercises
Task 1. Determine which usage rules are found in the following phrases, connect the sentence number with the letter of the rule. There may be several options, as you can see from the picture.
Passive forms
Consider next the forms of the Passive Voice. The passive form of the predicate uses a part of speech denoting the action “to be” (“to be”) in the third person singular or plural a certain time (for example, "is", "are") and the main (semantic) part of speech, indicating the effect, in the third form.
The part of speech denoting the action "to be" changes into the corresponding form when the time in which the act of action is performed changes. The semantic part of speech, denoting the impact, remains unchanged: it is always used as In English given form the part of speech denoting an action is called the Past Participle or Participle II.
Parts of speech denoting the action performed are divided into two types: correct and incorrect. The latter are exceptions to the grammatical rule for the formation of certain temporary forms.
The third form of the correct parts of speech denoting action looks similar to the past tense: -ed is added at the end:
- to love - loved;
- to play - played.
Irregular parts of speech denoting action have a special third form that must be remembered in each particular case. On the initial stage you can use a special table of exceptions. But the most common parts of speech that indicate the action performed, which are quickly remembered, are incorrect:
- to drink - drunk;
- to eat - eaten.
The part of speech denoting the action "to be" in the passive voice goes through the same changes as the predicate in the active voice. Adverbs of time (including adverbs of frequency) are a good clue to determine the time of the impact.
When constructing questions, the part of speech denoting the action performed is placed before the subject. When asking a question, think first about the effect being carried out, and then about the object or subject on which it is being carried out.
In negatives, the particle "not" follows the auxiliary part of speech denoting the action "to be". Never make the most common mistake of putting the body of speech indicating impact before "not"! In this case, "not" comes before the main verb, she shares auxiliary and main verbs.
Passive voice and tenses
As we can observe, only the part of speech denoting the action “to be” changes. The main part of speech denoting the action does not change.
Another important observation is that not all tenses are present in the passive voice. In the following cases, they must be replaced:
- Present Perfect Continuous is replaced by:
He has been cooking this meal since 5 p.m. - This meal has been cooked since 5 p.m.
Translation: He has been preparing this meal since 5:00 pm. - The food was prepared from 17:00.
- Past Perfect Continuous is replaced by Past Perfect:
Peter had been doing the research for 3 months. - The research had been done for 3 months.
Translation: Peter did the research for 3 months. - The study was conducted for 3 months.
- Future Continuous is replaced by Future Simple:
Tomorrow at 2 o'clock Helen will be cleaning this apartment. - This apartment will be cleaned tomorrow at 2 o'clock.
Translation: Tomorrow at two o'clock Helen will be cleaning this apartment. This apartment will be cleaned tomorrow at two o'clock.
- Future Perfect Continuous is replaced by Future Perfect:
Mike will have been driving the truck for 2 years by next week. - The truck will have been driven for 2 years by next week.
Translation: Mike will be driving a truck for two years by next week. - The truck will be used for two years by next week.
Task 2. Put the verb "do" in the correct form.
Change of collateral
If you want to replace Active Voice - Passive Voice, that is, convert the phrase in the active voice to passive form, you need to remember the features grammatical construction pledges.
In an active voice phrase, the subject comes first, the predicate comes second, and the object comes at the end. In the passive voice, the object takes the place of the subject.
Replacing Active Voice - Passive Voice is carried out in several stages:
- Decide which noun is the subject and which is the object:
someone broke into their apartment yesterday.
- Determine at what time the impact is carried out:
In our version - Past Simple.
- At the beginning of the phrase, put the object (instead of the subject), use semantic part of speech denoting the effect made, in the third form and place in front of it the part of speech denoting the action “to be”, in the required tense form:
Their apartment was broken into yesterday.
The presence of two objects increases the number of options for constructing a phrase in the passive voice:
Nick brought Kate a book. - Nick brought Kate a book.
- Kate was brought a book. A book has been brought to Kate.
- A book was brought to Kate. - The book was brought by Kate.
Both options are valid, but it's better to use the form where the subject is an animate pronoun.
Task 3. What voice is preferable to use in the following cases: Active Voice, Passive Voice?
Prepositions "by" and "with"
Additions are used in combination with these prepositions when it is necessary to mention who the author of the action is and in what ways the impact is carried out.
Sherlock Holmes was created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. - Sherlock Holmes was created by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
The preposition "with" indicates in what ways ( auxiliary materials or tools) the impact is performed:
The soup is mixed with a spoon. - The soup is stirred with a spoon.
The use of these prepositions is optional, with the exception of questions beginning with the words “who” (by whom?) And “what” (by what?).
Who was Hercule Poirot created by? - Who was created
What was the fire caused by? - What caused the fire?
In the formal style of speech, prepositions are often placed at the beginning of the phrase:
By what was the fire caused? - What caused the fire?
By whom was Hercule Poirot created? Who created Hercule Poirot?
With what is the soup stirred? - What's wrong with the soup?
Task 4. Put the verbs in the correct form Active and Passive Voice.
Modal verbs
How they work the Passive Voice and modal verbs - we will analyze further. Modal verbs are never used on their own, but only in combination with a part of speech denoting the effect produced, in an indefinite mood. If they are present in the description of the effect, in the passive voice the part of speech denoting the effect produced is transformed:
modal verb + "be" + Participle II
She might start research in July. (She may start research in July.) - Her research might be started in July.
We should fill in that form by hand. (We must fill out this form by hand.) - That form should be filled in by hand.
If the phrase contains the following parts of speech denoting impact:
- to hear (hear);
- to help (help);
- to make (in the meaning of "force");
- to see (see),
after the main auxiliary verbs there is another one in the indefinite mood (with the particle "to"):
I was made to clean the house. - They made me clean the house.
Mary will be helped to bake this cake. Mary will help bake this cake.
