PASSIVE VOICE

PRESENT TENSES
1. When Do We Use Passive Voice?

A. When the RECEIVER of an action is the

EMPHASIS
B. When it is NOT NECESSARY to mention
the DOER of an action
C. When the DOER of an action is NOT
KNOWN
 1.A. When the RECEIVER of the
action is the EMPHASIS
Example:

Look! A mermaid is found by the fishermen!

What is the main message

of the sentence?
As the emphasis is on the mermaid, we
start the sentence with A mermaid
to attract readers attention to the
receiver of the action.
Example:

This table is reserved for Hong Kong people.

As the emphasis is on the table, we start the

sentence with This table to attract
readers attention to the receiver of the
action.
 1.B. When it is NOT NECESSARY
to mention the DOER of the action
Example:
I was born in August.
Is it necessary to mention
WHO gave birth to you?
(Who else would it be if not your
mom??!!)
 As the doer of the action is
understood, we can omit it and start
the sentence with the receiver of the
action, i.e.I.
 1.C. When the DOER is NOT
KNOWN
Example:

Miss Leungs diamond ring was stolen!!

Who stole the ring?

 PASSIVE VOICE
(Present tense simple)
ACTIVE PASSIVE

My mother cleans my room My room is cleaned by my

mother

Form:
(respective) to be
(am, is, are )
+ +
3 rd form (past participle) ( gone, cleaned...)
 PASSIVE VOICE
( Progressive tenses)
ACTIVE PASSIVE
Mary is riding my bike My bike is being ridden by
Mary

Form:
to be (am, is, are, was, were )
+ +
being being
+ +
3 rd form (gone, cleaned...)
 Find two passive sentences
Mother tells her 1. A story is told to the
children by mother
children a story
2. The children are told a
story by mother

1. The men are being

They are paying paid 800 $ (by them)
the men 800 $
2. 800 $ are being paid to
the men (by them)
 Rewrite the sentences in passive voice

He opens the door.

We set the table.
She pays a lot of money.
I draw a picture.
They wear blue shoes.
They don't help you.
He doesn't open the book.
You do not write the letter.
Does your mum pick you up?
Does the police officer catch the thief?
 Rewrite the sentences in passive voice

He opens the door. - The door is opened by him.

We set the table. - The table is set by us.
She pays a lot of money. - A lot of money is paid by her.
I draw a picture. - A picture is drawn by me.
They wear blue shoes. - Blue shoes are worn by them.
They don't help you. - You are not helped by them.
He doesn't open the book. - The book is not opened by him.
You do not write the letter. - The letter is not written by you.
Does your mum pick you up? - Are you picked up by your mum?
Does the police officer catch the thief? - Is the thief caught by the
police officer?
 Rewrite the sentences in passive voice

Sheila is drinking a cup of tea.

My father is washing the car.
Farmer Joe is milking the cows.
She is taking a picture of him.
I am writing a poem.
We are not playing football.
He is not wearing a tie.
Is she preparing the party?
Are they talking about the meeting?
Is she watering the flowers?
 Rewrite the sentences in passive voice

Sheila is drinking a cup of tea. - A cup of tea is being drunk by Sheila.

My father is washing the car. - The car is being washed by my father.
Farmer Joe is milking the cows. - The cows are being milked by
farmer Joe.
She is taking a picture of him. - A picture of him is being taken by her.
I am writing a poem. - A poem is being written by me.
We are not playing football. - Football is not being played by us.
He is not wearing a tie. - A tie is not being worn by him.
Is she preparing the party? - Is the party being prepared by her?
Are they talking about the meeting? - Is the meeting being talked about
by them?
Is she watering the flowers? - Are the flowers being watered by her?