You are on page 1of 48

Using the

Passive Voice
Using the Passive Voice
• Definitions

• Changing to the passive voice

• Practice examples
Active Voice vs. Passive Voice
• Active voice takes the form “A does B”
• We chose the plastic film to cover the microphone

• Passive voice takes the form “B is done (by A)”


• Plastic film was chosen (by us) to cover the microphone
Active Voice: Subjects Perform an Act
Active voice
We ... chose ... plastic film to cover the microphone.

Subject Verb Object


Active Voice: Subjects Perform an Act
Active voice
We ... chose ... plastic film to cover the microphone.

Subject Verb Object

Passive voice
Plastic film … was chosen … to cover the microphone.
Subject Verb Object
Active Voice: Subjects Perform an Act
Third person, but active voice
The team ... chose ... plastic film to cover the microphone.
Subject Verb Object

Passive voice
Plastic film … was chosen … to cover the microphone.
Subject Verb Object
Using the Passive Voice
• Definitions

• Changing to the passive voice

• Practice examples
Combine “To be” + Past Participle
• “To be” is very irregular:
Present Tense Past Tense
1st person I am We are I was We were
2nd person You are You are You were You were
3rd person He, she, it is They are He, she, it was They were

• Past participles usually add “-ed” or “-t”: presented,


measured, built, burnt
• Irregular past principles must be memorized
Omit the “Agent” of the Action
• Active
• Workers installed burglar alarms.

• Passive, with agent


• Burglar alarms were installed by the workers.

• Passive, with the agent omitted


• Burglar alarms were installed.
Remember Tense and Number

Active Voice Passive Voice


I finish a project in eight hours.

I finish three projects in eight hours.

I finished a project in eight hours.

I finished three projects in eight hours.


Remember Tense and Number

Active Voice Passive Voice


I finish a project in eight hours. A project is finished in eight hours.

I finish three projects in eight hours.

I finished a project in eight hours.

I finished three projects in eight hours.


Remember Tense and Number

Active Voice Passive Voice


I finish a project in eight hours. A project is finished in eight hours.

I finish three projects in eight hours.

I finished a project in eight hours.

I finished three projects in eight hours.


Remember Tense and Number

Active Voice Passive Voice


I finish a project in eight hours. A project is finished in eight hours.

I finish three projects in eight hours. Three projects are finished in eight hours.

I finished a project in eight hours.

I finished three projects in eight hours.


Remember Tense and Number

Active Voice Passive Voice


I finish a project in eight hours. A project is finished in eight hours.

I finish three projects in eight hours. Three projects are finished in eight hours.

I finished a project in eight hours.

I finished three projects in eight hours.


Remember Tense and Number

Active Voice Passive Voice


I finish a project in eight hours. A project is finished in eight hours.

I finish three projects in eight hours. Three projects are finished in eight hours.

I finished a project in eight hours. A project was finished in eight hours.

I finished three projects in eight hours.


Remember Tense and Number

Active Voice Passive Voice


I finish a project in eight hours. A project is finished in eight hours.

I finish three projects in eight hours. Three projects are finished in eight hours.

I finished a project in eight hours. A project was finished in eight hours.

I finished three projects in eight hours.


Remember Tense and Number

Active Voice Passive Voice


I finish a project in eight hours. A project is finished in eight hours.

I finish three projects in eight hours. Three projects are finished in eight hours.

I finished a project in eight hours. A project was finished in eight hours.

I finished three projects in eight hours. Three projects were finished in eight hours.
Using the Passive Voice
• Definitions

• Changing to the passive voice

• Practice examples
Change to the Passive Voice
• The team used the following materials: a model rocket
requiring some assembly, a tube of “Super Glue®,” a
cartridge of matter, and a tank of antimatter.
Change to the Passive Voice
• The team used the following materials: a model rocket
requiring some assembly, a tube of “Super Glue®,” a
cartridge of matter, and a tank of antimatter.

• The following materials were used: a model rocket


requiring some assembly, a tube of “Super Glue®,” a
cartridge of matter, and a tank of antimatter.
Change to the Passive Voice
• The EG 1003 course also supplied the launch stand,
the barrier, and two atomic clocks.
Change to the Passive Voice
• The EG 1003 course also supplied the launch stand,
the barrier, and two atomic clocks.

• The launch stand, the barrier, and two atomic clocks


were supplied by the EG 1003 course.
Change to the Passive Voice
• First, we obtained the rocket kit from a TA.
Change to the Passive Voice
• First, we obtained the rocket kit from a TA.

• First, the rocket kit was obtained from a TA.


Change to the Passive Voice
• First, we obtained the rocket kit from a TA.

• First, the rocket kit was obtained from a TA.

• I inspected the kit to ensure that all parts were present.


Change to the Passive Voice
• First, we obtained the rocket kit from a TA.

• First, the rocket kit was obtained from a TA.

• I inspected the kit to ensure that all parts were present.

• The kit was inspected to ensure that all parts were


present.
Change to the Passive Voice
• Miguel attached the four control surfaces (fins) to the
fuselage of the model using Super Glue®.
Change to the Passive Voice
• Miguel attached the four control surfaces (fins) to the
fuselage of the model using Super Glue®.

• The four control surfaces (fins) were attached to the


fuselage of the model using Super Glue®.
Change to the Passive Voice
• We pressed the red power switch, activating the model.
Change to the Passive Voice
• We pressed the red power switch, activating the model.

• The red power switch was pressed, activating the


model.
Change to the Passive Voice
• The team noted the time to verify that there would be
enough battery power when the rocket was launched.
Change to the Passive Voice
• The team noted the time to verify that there would be
enough battery power when the rocket was launched.

• The time was noted to verify that there would be


enough battery power when the rocket was launched.
Change to the Passive Voice
• Francisca pushed the yellow button, starting the
Level 1 Diagnostic for the positronic control system.
Change to the Passive Voice
• Francisca pushed the yellow button, starting the
Level 1 Diagnostic for the positronic control system.

• The yellow button was pressed, starting the


Level 1 Diagnostic for the positronic control system.
Change to the Passive Voice
• The team took the model out to MetroTech commons.
Change to the Passive Voice
• The team took the model out to MetroTech commons.

• The model was taken out to MetroTech commons.


Change to the Passive Voice
• The team took the model out to MetroTech commons.

• The model was taken out to MetroTech commons.

• I obtained a matter cartridge from the TA.


Change to the Passive Voice
• The team took the model out to MetroTech commons.

• The model was taken out to MetroTech commons.

• I obtained a matter cartridge from the TA.

• A matter cartridge was obtained from the TA.


Change to the Passive Voice
• We snapped this cartridge into the model.
Change to the Passive Voice
• We snapped this cartridge into the model.

• This cartridge was snapped into the model.


Change to the Passive Voice
• We snapped this cartridge into the model.

• This cartridge was snapped into the model.

• We mounted the model on the launch stand.


Change to the Passive Voice
• We snapped this cartridge into the model.

• This cartridge was snapped into the model.

• We mounted the model on the launch stand.

• The model was mounted on the launch stand.


Using the Passive Voice

QUESTIONS?
QUIZ
Each sentence given below is in the active voice.
Change it into passive voice.

• He sings a song.
• The boy killed the spider.
• Help him.
• Farmers sow maize in the rainy season.
• Are you writing a letter?
QUIZ (Cont’d…)
• The workers were digging a canal.
• I will finish the job by the end of this week.
• Have you finished your job?
• They have informed him of his mother’s death.
• They took all the necessary precautions.
Key Answers
• A song is sung by him. (Active verb – sings; passive verb – is
sung)
• The spider was killed by the boy. (Active verb – killed; passive verb
– was killed)
• Let him be helped. (Imperative sentences in the passive voice
begin with let.)
• Maize is sown in the rainy season. (Active verb – sow; passive
verb – is/are sown)
• Is a letter being written by you? (Active verb – is/are writing;
passive verb – is/are being written)
• A canal was being dug by the workers. (Active verb – was/were
digging; passive verb – was/were being dug)
Key Answers (Cont’d…)
• The job will be finished (by me) by the end of this week.
(Active verb – will finish; passive verb –will be finished)
• Has your job been finished by you? (Active verb –
has/have finished; passive verb – has/have been
finished)
• He has been informed of his mother’s death. (Active
verb – has/have informed; passive verb – has/have
been informed)
• All the necessary precautions were taken by them.
(Active verb – took; passive verb – was/were taken)

You might also like