Passive voice

At the end of the lesson, you should be able to…

A. Differentiate active voice from passive
voice.
B. Value the importance of voice in
writing.
C. Arrange the jumbled words to form a
sentence.
Before you go to the lesson, Let us have some vocabulary drills and find out what kind of person
you are. Match the vocabulary words in Column B to their description in Column A. Write only the
letter of your answer on a one-fourth sheet of paper.

Column A Column B
1. She never brags about her
success. A. SENSITIVE
2. She often shouted at people for B. FRUGAL
nothing. C. SELFISH
3. She's interested only in her own D. HONEST
concerns. E. AGGRESSIVE
4. The family is able to stretch its
monthly budget.
5. He always tells the truth.
Study the sentences on the board.

“John saw a pretty girl. He went to talk to her.

Her husband arrived. The husband hit John on the
nose.”

1.What did the girl’s husband do?

(The husband hit John on the nose.)

2. What happened to John?

(John was hit on the nose by the girl’s husband.)
What is Voice?

Voice is the quality of the verb that shows whether the

subject is the doer or the receiver of the action.
In a sentence with an active verb, the subject is
performing the action. In a sentence with a passive
verb, the action is happening to the subject.
 Active voice PASSIVE
The active voice is voice
The passive voice
used to indicate is created when
that the subject of the subject is acted
the sentence is the upon.
doer of the action. Remember: For you to fully
Remember: For you to fully understand the passive voice you need
understand the active voice you need to know the structure or pattern on
to know the structure or pattern on how it should be written.
how it should be written.
Active Voice: Passive Voice:
Subject + Verb + Object Object + Verb+ Subject
 Active voice PASSIVE
Examples: voice
Examples:
A student wrote the winning essay. The winning essay was written by
a student.
Alexander Graham Bell invented The telephone was invented by
the telephone. Alexander Graham Bell.
The chef prepared a delicious A delicious meal was prepared by
meal. the chef.
Remember: Subject + Verb + Object Remember: Object + auxiliary verb
(to be) + main verb (past participle)
+by+ agent (subject)
 When and why do we use passive voice?

We use the passive when:

1. we want to emphasize the receiver of the action.
Example: President Kennedy was killed by Lee Harvey Oswald.
2. we don't know who did the action (the agent):
Example: My wallet has been stolen.
3. we think the agent is not important or interesting:
Example: Our house is being painted.
4. the agent is obvious:
Example: I am paid weekly.
5. we are making general statements or announcements:
Example: Passengers are reminded to fasten their seatbelts.
 When and why do we use passive voice?

We use the passive when:

6. the agent is everyone:
Example: The emergency services can be called by dialing 999.
7. we are writing formal or scientific texts:
Example: Potassium was added and mixed in. The solution was heated
to 80°C and then allowed to cool.
8. we want to avoid responsibility for our own actions (typically found
in government reports):
Example: Mistakes were made and unfortunately never rectified.
 passive voice

Identify the voice of the verb in each sentence. Write Active if the voice
of the verb is in the active voice or Passive if the voice of the verb is in
the passive on a whole sheet of paper.
___1. Raul presented an interesting report.
___2. Baseball was played by Joseph.
___3. Martin removed the old paint.
___4. The national budget was approved by congress.
___5. She cooked the breakfast.
 passive voice
Change the voice of the verb from active to passive. e.g. David kicked the ball. The
ball was kicked by David.

1,The mother carried the baby.

2. Father repaired the old chair.

3. He invented a breathing device for firefighters.

4. Sam explored the famous underground river.

5. Carlo gave a very inspiring speech during the program.

Basic structure of passive clause

Object + Auxiliary + Main verb + by + Agent

verb Past Subje
be participle ct

optional
 ACtivity
Construct passive form of sentences on the following verbs.
1. conduct
_____________________________________________________________
2. use
_____________________________________________________________
3. stay
_____________________________________________________________
4. explain
_____________________________________________________________
5. deliver
___________________________________________________________
Examples Sentences in active and passive voice for the basic tenses as well as
various forms, including infinitives and participles.

TENSES Active Passive

Present Simple How does one pronounce his How is his name pronounced?
name?
Present Continuous Ati’s helping Tara. Tara’s being helped by Ati.

Present Perfect Kid has served dinner. Dinner has been served.

Present Perfect The police have been watching That house has been being
Continuous that house for weeks. watched for weeks.
They didn’t fix my phone My phone wasn’t fixed
Past Simple yesterday. yesterday.
 Examples Sentences in active and passive voice for the basic tenses as well as
various forms, including infinitives and participles.

Active Passive
Past Continuous They were interrogating him He was being interrogated
when I called. when I called.
Past Perfect I wondered they hadn’t invited I wondered why I hadn’t been
me. invited.

Past Perfect Continuous She wasn’t sure how long She wasn’t sure how long she’d
they’d been following her. been being followed.

Future Simple They will hang him at dawn. He will be hanged at dawn.

Future Continuous They won’t be questioning him He won’t be being questioned

when you get there. when you get there.
 Examples Sentences in active and passive voice for the basic tenses as well as
various forms, including infinitives and participles.

Active Passive
Future Perfect They will have repaired your Your car will have been
car by 7 pm. repaired by 7 pm.
Future Perfect Continuous They’ll have been treating her She’ll have been being treated for
for exactly three months three months tomorrow.
tomorrow.
Infinitive I don’t want anyone to disturb I don’t want to be disturbed.
me.
Perfect Infinitive They seem to have taken it. It seems to have been taken.

Participle I saw the cat eating it. I saw it being eaten by the cat.
Examples Sentences in active and passive voice for the basic tenses as well as
various forms, including infinitives and participles.

Active Passive
Perfect Participle Having finished my work, I My work having been finished,
went home. I went home.
Gerund I insisted on them paying me. I insisted on being paid.

Going to Is he going to sing at Thriller at Is thriller going to be sung at

the party? the party?
Used to Ram used to take good care of Everything used to be taken
everything. care of by Ram.
Can They can question him for six He can be questioned for six
hours. hours.
Examples Sentences in active and passive voice for the basic tenses as well as
various forms, including infinitives and participles.

Active Passive
Could It could have badly hurt you. You could have been badly
hurt.
May The papers say they may The paper say they may be
release him. released.
Might Somebody might buy it. It might be bought.

Must Passengers must wear seat Seatbelts must be worn.

belts.
Should You should have told me. I should have been told.

Ought to They ought to forgive him. He ought to be forgiven.

 Points to Remember
When can you say that a sentence is in the
active or passive voice? How will you change an active voice
into passive?

A verb that has a direct object is in the active voice. If

the subject is acted upon, the verb is in the passive voice. In
changing a sentence from active to passive, the direct object
becomes the subject or the doer in the by-phrase.
 QUIZ
Direction: Write A in the blank before the number if the sentence is active and P if
passive. Write your answers on a whole sheet of paper.

____1. The k-drama Crash Landing on You was well received by people around the
world.
____2. He submitted an annual report of the organization.
____3. The new product design has been finished.

B. Change the voice of the verb from active to passive.

4. He repaired the dripping faucet.
__________________________________
5. She will send the message tomorrow.
__________________________________
6. The janitors are cleaning the rooms now.
__________________________________
 QUIZ
7. We must observe health protocols set by the Department of Health.
__________________________________

C. Use each verb in a passive sentence.

8. follow
______________________________________
9. educate
______________________________________
10. study
______________________________________
End of presentation