PASSIVE

Subject (Agent) Action Result (active)

Subject (Result) + Action + Agent (passive)

--> S + be/get + Past participle

Subject Get/Be
Reasons for using passive VERB
GET instead of BE

The agent: Making a statement impersonal

obvious or unknown Avoid personal involvement/
‘people or things in general’
a long phrase
responsibility) Verbs of physical action
VERB (TRANSITIVE
when focus is on events, achievements, Used in rules and regulations Definite subject + indefinite (by-agent)
VERB/ ERGATIVE VERB
rather than agents

The house was built by workers.

(The subject "house" is definite, but the agent "workers" is indefinite.)
The office was cleaned by a cleaning crew.
(The subject "office" is definite, while the agent "a cleaning crew" is
indefinite.)
The walls were painted by someone last night.
(The subject "walls" is definite, but the agent "someone" is indefinite.)

Unexpected, involuntary, An achievement based An achievement Formality:

or unwelcome action: on previous effort: despite difficulty: "Get": more informal than "be", be used in
everyday conversation.
"Be": formal writing or official contexts
The door suddenly slammed, and After months of preparation, he After years of trying, I finally got
I got locked out of the house. got accepted into the university. promoted to manage
He got fired from his job He finally got accepted into the They finally got their business off
(He didn’t want it to happen). program after applying twice. the ground after years of setbacks.
(He worked hard to achieve this.) (It took time and effort, but they
I got locked out of the house.
eventually achieved success.)
(Unplanned and involuntary action.)
 Acceptance:
Invitation: Informal (GET):
Informal (GET): He got accepted into the university on his
I got invited to Sarah's birthday party second try.
yesterday. (Informal, common in everyday conversation)
(Everyday conversation, casual setting)
Formal (BE):
Formal (BE): He was accepted into the university on his
I was invited to attend Sarah's birthday party second attempt.
yesterday. (More formal, appropriate for official or academic
(More formal, could be used in written communication)
communication)

Formality:
"Get": more informal than "be", be used
in everyday conversation.
"Be": formal writing or official contexts

Job Offer: Promotion:

Informal (GET): Informal (GET):
I got offered the job right after my interview. John got promoted after just one year at
(Relaxed tone, commonly used in casual speech) the company.
(Casual tone, used in spoken English)
Formal (BE):
I was offered the position immediately after my Formal (BE):
interview. John was promoted after just one year at the
(More suitable for formal communication or writing) company.
(Formal, used in professional or business
contexts)
 VERB OF PASSIVE
(TRANSITIVE VERB/
ERGATIVE VERB

Transitive verbs always require a Ergative verbs

direct object in both active and function both transitively and intransitively.
passive voice. The object in the transitive form can become the subject in
Active: They fixed the car. the intransitive form without needing to state the agent.
Passive: The car was fixed.
Break:
ONLY PASSIVE VERBS: Transitive Active: She broke the vase.
commonly used in the passive voice because they focus on the result Intransitive Active: The vase broke.
or condition, not who is performing the action. Passive: The vase was broken (by her).
1. Be Deemed: Open:
The project was deemed a success by the board. Transitive Active: He opened the door.
(The project was considered a success.) Intransitive Active: The door opened.
2. Be Hospitalized: Passive: The door was opened (by him).
After the accident, she was hospitalized for three weeks. Melt:
(She was admitted to the hospital.) Transitive Active: They melted the ice.
3. Be Scheduled: Intransitive Active: The ice melted.
The meeting is scheduled for next Friday at 10 AM. Passive: The ice was melted (by them).
(The meeting has been arranged to happen.) Change:
4. Be Fined:
Transitive Active: She changed the plans.
Intransitive Active: The plans changed.
The company was fined for violating environmental regulations.
Passive: The plans were changed (by her).
(The company had to pay a penalty.)
5. Be Failed:
He was failed by the system despite his best efforts.
(He did not pass because of the system’s issues, not his own.)
6. Be Shipped:
The package was shipped yesterday and should arrive tomorrow.
(The package was sent via delivery.)
7. be Suspended:
The student was suspended for three days due to misconduct.
(The student was temporarily banned from attending school.)
8. Be Staffed:
The department is staffed by a team of highly skilled professionals.
(The department has a team of workers.)
1. Passive with Infinitive:
Active Infinitive: When the subject does the action.
Example: She has a lot of work to do. (The subject "she" will do the work.)
Passive Infinitive: When the action is done to the subject.
Example: There is a lot of work to be done. (The work will be done by someone, but the
focus is on the work.)
More examples:
I have a meeting to attend. (Active: I will attend the meeting.)
There are several meetings to be attended this week. (Passive: The meetings need to be
attended by someone.)
2. Passive with "-ing" Forms:
Being + Past Participle:
Used after verbs that typically take -ing forms or for participles.
Example: I enjoy being given gifts.
(Someone gives me gifts, and I enjoy it.)
Example: She dislikes being interrupted when she is speaking.
(Others interrupt her, and she dislikes it.)
3. Perfect Passive "-ing" Forms:
Having been + Past Participle:
Refers to an action completed in the past before another action.
Example: Having been promoted, she now has more responsibilities.
(She was promoted, and as a result, she has more responsibilities.)
Example: Having been admitted to the hospital, he felt relieved.
(He was admitted, and afterward, he felt relieved.)
More examples:
Having been selected for the team, she trained harder.
(She was selected, and because of that, she trained harder.)
Having been told the news, they were able to prepare.
(After someone told them the news, they prepared.)
Causative with "Have":
This structure is used when someone arranges for someone else to do something. The form is:
Have + someone + do something (active causative)
Have + something + done (passive causative)
I had the mechanic fix my car. (I arranged for the mechanic to fix my car.)
She had her assistant organize the files. (She arranged for her assistant to do it.)
I had my car repaired yesterday. (I arranged for the car to be repaired.)
He had his house painted last summer. (He arranged for someone to paint the house.)
Causative with "Get":
The verb get is more informal than have. The form is:
Get + someone + to do something (active causative)
Get + something + done (passive causative)
I got my friend to help me with the project. (I convinced or arranged for my friend to help me.)
She got the technician to fix the computer. (She arranged for the technician to fix it.)
I got my hair cut last week. (I arranged for someone to cut my hair.)
He got his watch fixed yesterday. (He arranged for someone to fix the watch.)
3. Differences between "Have" and "Get":
Formality:
"Have" is more formal and is often used in professional contexts.
"Get" is more casual and is used in everyday conversation.
Implied effort:
"Get" can imply that the subject made more effort to arrange the action, whereas "have" can be
neutral.
>< HAVE/GET SO/STH VING: MAKE SO/STH START DOING STH