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Unit 13: Passive Voice: 1. Definition

The passive voice is used to focus on the recipient of an action rather than the doer. It is formed with a form of "to be" plus the past participle of the main verb. The passive voice can be used in any tense or with infinitives and gerunds. The passive causative combines a causative verb like "have", "let", or "make" with the passive voice to indicate that someone caused an action to be done by another.

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441 views4 pages

Unit 13: Passive Voice: 1. Definition

The passive voice is used to focus on the recipient of an action rather than the doer. It is formed with a form of "to be" plus the past participle of the main verb. The passive voice can be used in any tense or with infinitives and gerunds. The passive causative combines a causative verb like "have", "let", or "make" with the passive voice to indicate that someone caused an action to be done by another.

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Unit 13: PASSIVE VOICE

1. Definition

The passive voice is used to show interest in the person or object that
experiences an action rather than the person or object that performs the action.
In other words, the most important thing or person becomes the subject of the
sentence.
Examples
● The house was built in 1654. (= we are interested in the house, not in who
built it.)
Sometimes we use the passive voice because we don't know or do not want to
express who performed the action.
Examples
● All the cookies have been eaten.
1. Forming the passive voice
The passive voice in English is composed of two elements:
the appropriate form of the verb 'to be' + past participle

Affirmative Negative Interrogative Negative


interrogative

The house The house Was the house Wasn't the


was built in wasn't built in built in 1899? house built in
1899. 1899. 1899?

These houses These houses Were these Weren't these


were built in weren't built in houses built in houses built in
1899. 1899. 1899? 1899?

To clean, passive voice


Subject + to be + past + rest of
(conjugated) participle sentence

Simple present

The is cleaned every day.


house

Present continuous

The is being cleaned at the moment.


house

Simple past

The was cleaned yesterday.


house

Past continuous

The was being cleaned last week.


house

Present perfect

The has been cleaned since you left.


house

Past perfect

The had been cleaned before they


house arrived.
Future

The will be cleaned next week.


house

Future continuous

The will be being cleaned tomorrow.


house

Present conditional

The would be cleaned if they had


house visitors.

Past conditional

The would have been cleaned if it had been


house dirty.

2. Passive voice with infinitives


The infinitive passive voice is used after modal verbs and other most verbs
normally followed by an infinitive.
Examples
● You have to be tested on your English grammar.
● John might be promoted next year.
● She wants to be invited to the party.
● I expect to be surprised on my birthday.
● You may be disappointed.
● The case have been reopened years ago.

3. Passive voice with gerunds

Gerunds are used after prepositions and verbs normally followed by a gerund.
Examples
 The children are excited about being taken to the zoo.
 The children are excited to be taken to the zoo.
 Most film stars hate being interviewed.
 Most film stars hate to be interviewed.

4. The Passive Causative


Causative verbs (have, let, make, get, help) are used when one person
is causing another to do something. When you combine them together, you are
essentially saying someone caused something to be done (by someone).
LET = PERMIT SOMETHING TO HAPPEN
▪ I don’t let my kids watch violent movies.
MAKE = FORCE OR REQUIRE SOMEONE TO TAKE AN ACTION
▪ The school requires the students to wear uniforms.
HAVE = GIVE SOMEONE ELSE THE RESPONSIBILITY TO DO
SOMETHING
▪ I’ll have my assistant call you to reschedule the appointment.
▪ I’m going to have my hair cut tomorrow.
GET = CONVINCE/ENCOURAGE SOMEONE TO DO SOMETHING
▪ How can we get all the employees to arrive on time?
HELP = ASSIST SOMEONE IN DOING SOMETHING
▪ He helped me carry the boxes.
▪ He helped me to carry the boxes.
▪ Reading before bed helps me relax.
▪ Reading before bed helps me to relax.

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