THE PASSIVE VOICE FORM TO BE PAST PARTICIPLE

THE PASSIVE VOICE

FORM • TO BE + PAST PARTICIPLE of the main verb • A cake is made (by Laura). • A cake was made (by Laura). • A cake has been made (by Laura). • A cake will be made (by Laura).

Active to passive: three necessary steps • 1. The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence • 2. The verb to be takes the form of the main verb in the active sentence • 3. The main verb takes the Past Participle form • (the subject of the active sentence is either omitted or put at the end of the sentence following the preposition ‘by’)

Examples • A: Laura makes a cake. • P: A cake is made (by Laura). • A: Laura is making a cake. • P: A cake is being made (by Laura). • A: Laura has made a cake. • P: A cake has been made (by Laura).

Examples • A: Laura made a cake. • A cake was made (by Laura). • Laura was making a cake. • A cake was being made (by Laura). • Laura had made a cake. • A cake had been made (by Laura).

Examples • A: Laura is going to make a cake. • P: A cake is going to be made by Laura. • A: Laura will make a cake. • P: A cake will be made by Laura. • A: Laura will have made a cake. • P: A cake will have been made by Laura.

Examples • A: Laura can/could make a cake. • P: A cake can/could be made by Laura. • A: Laura may/might make a cake. • P: A cake may/might be made by Laura. • A: Laura must/has to make a cake. • P: A cake must/has to be made by Laura.

Two objects (direct & indirect) in active sentences • A: Henry gave Claire some flowers. • P: Claire was given some flowers by Henry. • P: Some flowers were given to Claire by Henry. • A: Somebody gave the police the information. • P: The police were given information. • P: The information was given to the police. • (ask, give, offer, pay, show, teach, tell)

Use • If the doer of the action is not known: • His brother was hurt in the demonstrations. • If mentioning of the doer of the action is considered unnecessary: • The streets are cleaned every night. • Two men have been arrested in the town centre.

Use: • If the doer of the action is considered unimportant or indefinite (somebody, something, everybody, people, all, they, etc. ) • This photograph was taken during the incident. • Athletes are admired for their achievements.

Use: • Indefinite subject can be replaced with ‘it’ – impersonal passive form • It is believed that the tourists were captured. • It is claimed that smoking causes cancer. • It is said that they are getting married next week. • Or personal passive voice form: • The tourists are believed to have been captured. • Smoking is claimed to cause cancer. • They are said to be getting married next week.

Use: • To emphasise the object of the active sentence: • The photo was taken by one of the tourists. • Football is played all over the world. • I was offered the job, but I refused it. • You will be given plenty of time to decide. • The men were paid 400 pounds to do the job.

Use: • More often used in English than in Serbian; used more in written than in spoken language, especially in reports/books (industry, science, technology, rules etc. ) • Solar energy can be used for heating. • Water is heated to boiling point. • The offer was rejected due to the low price. • Litter must be put in a bin. • A number of people have been arrested in connection with the robbery. • The conference will be held in Brussels next month.

I was born… (always in Past Simple Tense) • Where were you born? • I was born in Nis. • Where was he born? • He was born in Novi Sad.

‘be’ can be replaced by ‘get’ (not always) • There was a fight at the party, but nobody was hurt. • There was a fight at the party, but nobody got hurt. • My friend isn’t often invited to parties. • My friend doesn’t get invited to parties very often. (action verbs) • BUT: • Jill is liked by everybody. • * Jill gets liked by everybody. (cannot be said, state verb)

‘get’ in fixed expressions – no passive meaning • get dressed, get changed, get lost, get married, get divorced… • She woke up and got dressed quickly. • They got lost because they didn’t have a map. • They are getting married next month. • They got divorced two years ago.

The same translation into Serbian in the following examples: • He is called George. • They were all drowned. • We were lost in the woods. • Hoses were made of wood at the time.

Have something done – similar to passive form • Lisa painted her house. (She did it. ) • Lisa had her house painted. (Somebody else did it. ) • S + HAVE + OBJECT + PAST PARTICIPLE

Examples • My friend had her hair cut, but she doesn’t like it. • Our neighbor had just had a garage built. • We are having the house painted at the moment. • I think you should have that coat cleaned. • I don’t like having my photograph taken.