Passive Voice (Chart 1)
General Information: The Passive voice is used in the following circumstances:
1. When the agent responsible of the action is omitted because it’s
unknown, irrelevant or wishes to be unknown.
2. When it’s a general saying, rumour, etc. (Subordinate sentences)
1. General Structure: The object of the verb becomes the subject and the subject responsible
for the action disappears. The verb structure changes, placing “to be” in the
position and tense of the main verb and adding the main verb at the end of the
sentence in past participle.
2. Adding “to be” to a structure: When there is a previous structure, the verb “to be”
always takes the position and tense of the main verb but the structure is kept.
3. Modal Verbs (can/could, may/might, must,
should, etc.): The verb “to be” is placed after the modal verb.
4. Subordinate clauses: These are the equivalent to impersonal sentences in Spanish. There are
two main options:
a) It is said that… /It’s believed that…
b) Indirect object + to be + past participle.
NOTE: Sometimes
there are two objects: direct and indirect (it’s commonly used the
indirect object as subject) (Example below and Chart 2)
Susan helps Peter
Subject Present
simple Object
Peter is helped by Susan
To be = present simple + past participle
We will buy the car tomorrow
Main Verb
The car will be bought tomorrow
To be + past participle
The boss is going to fire three workers tomorrow
Main Verb
Three workers are going to be fired tomorrow
To be + past participle |
The children can open the door
Modal
The door can be opened
Modal + be + past participle
a) The police are looking for the missing boy. It’s
believed that the boy is wearing a white pullover and blue jeans.
b) The boy is believed to be wearing a white pullover
and blue jeans.
|
NOTE: Everyone gave the writer a warm welcome→Indirect Objet → The writer was given a warm welcome
