Free English Grammar - Mary Ansell 2000
Chapter 12. The passive voice
1. Use of the passive voice
As explained in the preceding chapter, the Active Voice of a verb is used when the subject of the verb refers to the person or thing performing the action described by the verb.
In contrast, the Passive Voice of a verb is used when the subject of the verb refers to the person or thing receiving the action described by the verb. Only a verb which can take an object can be put into the Passive Voice.
The Passive Voice is more commonly used in English than it is in other European languages such as German or French. As well as being used in everyday English, the Passive Voice is used extensively in official documents and scientific papers.
In the following examples, the verbs in the Passive Voice are underlined.
e.g. The ball was struck by the boy.
Gold has been found by the explorers.
In these examples, the verbs was struck and has been found are in the Passive Voice. The subjects ball and gold refer to things receiving the actions described by the verbs.
2. Formation of the indicative mood of the passive voice
For every tense in the Active Voice, there is a corresponding tense in the Passive Voice. In the Passive Voice, the verb to be acts as an auxiliary. The Passive Voice tenses of an English verb are formed from the corresponding conjugations of to be, followed by the past participle of the verb.
a. The simple present indicative
For instance, the Simple Present Indicative of to be, and the Simple Present Indicative of the Passive Voice of the verb to show are conjugated as follows:
Simple Present Indicative of To Be
l am
you are
he is
she is
it is
we are
they are
Simple Present Indicative of Passive Voice of To Show
I am shown
you are shown
he is shown
she is shown
it is shown
we are shown
they are shown
b. The other indicative tenses
Similarly, the other Indicative tenses of the Passive Voice of the verb to show are conjugated as indicated in the following table. The corresponding tenses of the verb to be are included for purposes of comparison.
The verb To Be compared with the Passive Voice of the verb To Show
Present Continuous
I am being
you are being
he is being
she is being
it is being
we are being
they are being
Present Continuous
I am being shown
you are being shown
he is being shown
she is being shown
it is being shown
we are being shown
they are being shown
Present Perfect
I have been
you have been
he has been
she has been
it has been
we have been
they have been
Present Perfect
I have been shown
you have been shown
he has been shown
she has been shown
it has been shown
we have been shown
they have been shown
Present Perfect Continuous
have been being
you have been being
he has been being
she has been being
it has been being
we have been being
they have been being
Present Perfect Continuous
I have been being shown
you have been being shown
he has been being shown
she has been being shown
it has been being shown
we have been being shown
they have been being shown
Simple Past
I was
you were
he was
she was
it was
we were
they were
Simple Past
I was shown
you were shown
he was shown
she was shown
it was shown
we were shown
they were shown
Past Continuous
I was being
you were being
he was being
she was being
it was being
we were being
they were being
Past Continuous
I was being shown
you were being shown
he was being shown
she was being shown
it was being shown
we were being shown
they were being shown
Past Perfect
I had been
you had been
he had been
she had been
it had been
we had been
they had been
Past Perfect
I had been shown
you had been shown
he had been shown
she had been shown
it had been shown
we had been shown
they had been shown
Past Perfect Continuous
I had been being
you had been being
he had been being
she had been being
it had been being
we had been being
they had been being
Past Perfect Continuous
I had been being shown
you had been being shown
he had been being shown
she had been being shown
it had been being shown
we had been being shown
they had been being shown
Simple Future
I will (shall) be
you will be
he will be
she will be
it will be
we will (shall) be
they will be
Simple Future
I will (shall) be shown
you will be shown
he will be shown
she will be shown
it will be shown
we will (shall) be shown
they will be shown
Future Continuous
I will (shall) be being
you will be being
he wiII be being
she will be being
it will be being
we will (shall) be being
they wiII be being
Future Continuous
I will (shall) be being shown
you will be being shown
he will be being shown
she will be being shown
it will be being shown
we will (shall) be being shown
they will be being shown
Future Perfect
I will (shall) have been
you wiII have been
he wiII have been
she will have been
it will have been
we will (shall) have been
they will have been
Future Perfect
I will (shall) have been shown
you will have been shown
he will have been shown
she will have been shown
it will have been shown
we will (shall) have been shown
they will have been shown
Future Perfect Continuous
I will (shall) have been being
you wiII have been being
he wiII have been being
she will have been being
It wiII have been being
we will (shall) have been being
they will have been being
Future Perfect Continuous
I will (shall) have been being shown
you will have been being shown
he will have been being shown
she will have been being shown
it will have been being shown
we will (shall) have been being shown
they will have been being shown
c. Summary of the formation of the indicative tenses of the passive voice
The following table summarizes the formation of the Indicative tenses of the Passive Voice.
⁎ The other modal auxiliaries form conjugations in the same way as shown for will and shall.
⁎⁎ The Present Perfect Continuous, Past Perfect Continuous, Future Continuous, and Future Perfect Continuous tenses of the Passive Voice are cumbersome, and are rarely used. Only the more commonly used tenses of the Passive Voice will be discussed below.
3. Questions and negative statements
As is the case for other English conjugations, verbs in the Passive Voice form questions and negative statements using the first auxiliary.
a. Questions
To form a question, the first auxiliary is placed before the subject. For example:
Affirmative Statement
You were shown the sights.
She is being shown the sights.
He will have been shown the sights.
We should be shown the sights.
Question
Were you shown the sights?
Is she being shown the sights?
Will he have been shown the sights?
Should we be shown the sights?
See Exercise 1.
b. Negative statements
To form a negative statement, the word not is placed after the first auxiliary. For example:
Negative Statements
You were not shown the sights.
She is not being shown the sights.
He will not have been shown the sights.
We should not be shown the sights.
See Exercise 2.
c. Negative questions
To form a negative question, the first auxiliary is placed before the subject, and the word not is placed after the subject. However, when contractions are used, the
contracted form of not follows immediately after the auxiliary. Contractions are often used in spoken English. For example:
Without Contractions
Were you not shown the sights?
Is she not being shown the sights?
Will he not have been shown the sights?
Should we not be shown the sights?
With Contractions
Weren't you shown the sights?
Isn't she being shown the sights?
Won't he have been shown the sights?
Shouldn't we be shown the sights?
See Exercise 3.
4. Changing the voice of a verb
When the verb of a sentence is changed from the Active Voice to the Passive Voice and the other words in the sentence are left unaltered, a change in meaning results. In the following examples, the verbs are underlined.
e.g. Active Voice: He is driving to the airport.
Passive Voice: He is being driven to the airport.
The person referred to by the subject of the first sentence is behaving actively; the person is doing the driving. The person referred to by the subject of the second sentence is behaving passively; someone else is doing the driving.
Using the first person singular of the verb to show as an example, the following table compares the most commonly used tenses of the Indicative Mood of the Passive Voice with the corresponding tenses of the Active Voice.
See Exercises 4 and 5.
5. Changing the voice of a verb while preserving the meaning of a sentence
In order to preserve the meaning of a sentence when the Voice of the verb is changed, it is necessary to alter the order of the words in the sentence.
a. Changing the verb from the active voice to the passive voice
When a verb which takes an object is changed from the Active Voice to the Passive Voice, in order to preserve the meaning of the sentence, the former object becomes the subject of the verb, and the former subject may be preceded by the preposition by, and placed after the verb. In the following examples, the verbs are underlined, and the direct objects of the verbs are printed in bold type.
For instance, in the sentence:
The wind is rippling the water.
the verb is rippling has the subject wind and takes the object water. When the verb is put into the Passive Voice and the meaning of the sentence is preserved, the former object, water, becomes the subject of the verb, and the former subject, wind, becomes the object of the preposition by, as follows:
The water is being rippled by the wind.
Other examples are:
Active: The squirrel ate the nut.
Passive: The nut was eaten by the squirrel.
Active: The child will open the parcel.
Passive: The parcel will be opened by the child.
In the first pair of examples, the verb ate, in the Active Voice, is changed to was eaten, in the Passive Voice. In order to preserve the meaning, nut, the object of the verb in the Active Voice, becomes the subject of the verb in the Passive Voice, and is placed before the verb; and squirrel, the subject of the verb in the Active Voice, becomes the object of the preposition by, and is placed after the verb.
Similarly, in the second pair of examples, parcel, the object of the verb in the Active Voice, becomes the subject of the verb in the Passive Voice and is placed before the verb; and child, the subject of the verb in the Active Voice, becomes the object of the preposition by, and is placed after the verb.
See Exercise 6.
It should be noted that, when changing the Voice of a verb in a sentence while preserving the meaning of the sentence, it is necessary to make sure that the verb agrees with its new subject.
e.g. Active: The boys are mowing the lawn.
Passive: The lawn is being mowed by the boys.
In the first sentence, the subject boys is plural; therefore a plural auxiliary are is used. In the second sentence, the subject lawn is singular; therefore a singular auxiliary is is used. The agreement of verbs with noun subjects is discussed in the next chapter.
b. Changing the verb from the passive voice to the active voice
When a verb is changed from the Passive Voice to the Active Voice, in order to preserve the meaning of the sentence, the former subject becomes the object of the verb, and, if the sentence includes a phrase beginning with the preposition by, the former object of the preposition becomes the subject of the verb.
e.g. Passive: The clover is being eaten by the cow.
Active: The cow is eating the clover.
In this pair of examples, the verb is being eaten, in the Passive Voice, is changed to is eating, in the Active Voice. In order to preserve the meaning of the sentence, clover, the subject of the verb in the Passive Voice, becomes the object of the verb in the Active Voice, and is placed after the verb; and cow, the object of the preposition by, becomes the subject of the verb in the Active Voice, and is placed before the verb.
Other examples are:
Passive: The wine was ordered by the dealer.
Active: The dealer ordered the wine.
Passive: The deer could have been killed by the poacher.
Active: The poacher could have killed the deer.
See Exercise 7.
c. Changing the voice of a verb which takes both a direct object and an indirect object
When a verb in the Active Voice takes both a direct object and an indirect object, either object can become the subject of the verb when the verb is put into the Passive Voice, and the meaning of the sentence is preserved. The object which does not become the subject remains as an object. When a verb in the Passive Voice takes an indirect object, the indirect object is usually preceded by a preposition.
e.g. Active: The guide will show you the museum.
Passive: You will be shown the museum by the guide.
Passive: The museum will be shown to you by the guide.
In the first sentence, the verb will show, in the Active Voice, takes the direct object museum, and the indirect object you. In the second and third sentences, the verb will be shown is in the Passive Voice, and the meaning has been preserved by altering the word order and using the preposition by. In the second sentence, the former indirect object, you, is the subject of the verb, and the former direct object, museum, remains the direct object. In the third sentence, the former direct object, museum, is the subject of the verb, and the former indirect object, you, is preceded by the preposition to.
A similar example is:
Active: The policeman gave you a medal.
Passive: You were given a medal by the policeman.
Passive: A medal was given to you by the policeman.
In the first sentence, the verb gave, in the Active Voice, takes the direct object medal and the indirect object you. In the second and third sentences, the verb was given is in the Passive Voice. In the second sentence, the former indirect object, you, is the subject of the verb, and the former direct object, medal, remains the direct object. In the third sentence, the former direct object, medal, is the subject of the verb, and the former indirect object, you, is preceded by the preposition to.
6. The subjunctive mood of the passive voice
The Passive Voice tenses discussed so far have all been in the Indicative Mood. However, verbs in the Passive Voice can also be put into the Subjunctive Mood.
It has been seen that all of the tenses in the Passive Voice are formed using auxiliaries. As has already been explained, the Subjunctive Mood of tenses using auxiliaries is formed by putting the first auxiliary into the Subjunctive Mood.
Using the verb to show as an example, the following table illustrates the formation of the tenses of the Subjunctive Mood of the Passive Voice.
The Subjunctive Mood of the Passive Voice of the verb To Show
Simple Present
I be shown
you be shown
he be shown
she be shown
it be shown
we be shown
they be shown
Simple Past
I were shown
you were shown
he were shown
she were shown
it were shown
we were shown
they were shown
Present Continuous
I be being shown
you be being shown
he be being shown
she be being shown
it be being shown
we be being shown
they be being shown
Past Continuous
I were being shown
you were being shown
he were being shown
she were being shown
it were being shown
we were being shown
they were being shown
Present Perfect
I have been shown
you have been shown
he have been shown
she have been shown
it have been shown
we have been shown
they have been shown
Past Perfect
I had been shown
you had been shown
he had been shown
she had been shown
it had been shown
we had been shown
they had been shown
Present Perfect Continuous
I have been being shown
you have been being shown
he have been being shown
she have been being shown
it have been being shown
we have been being shown
they have been being shown
Past Perfect Continuous
I had been being shown
you had been being shown
he had been being shown
she had been being shown
it had been being shown
we had been being shown
they had been being shown
The following table summarizes the formation of the Subjunctive tenses of the Passive Voice.
a. Use of the simple present subjunctive
Like the Simple Present Subjunctive of the Active Voice, the Simple Present Subjunctive of the Passive Voice is often used in subordinate clauses beginning with that in sentences which contain formal commands, or requests.
As can be seen from the preceding table, the Simple Present Subjunctive of The Passive Voice is formed from the invariable auxiliary be, followed by the past participle of the verb. The following sentences are examples of the use of the Simple Present Subjunctive of the Passive Voice.
e.g. I request that he be invited to speak.
We asked that our suggestions be considered.
They will insist that their colleague be admitted to the association.
See Exercise 8.
b. Use of the past forms of the subjunctive
Like the past forms of the Subjunctive of the Active Voice, the past forms of the Subjunctive of the Passive Voice are used in wishes, and in statements containing false
or improbable conditions.
e.g. I wish he were allowed to come.
It would have been better if they had been invited.
In the first example, the Simple Past Subjunctive of the Passive Voice, were allowed, is used in expressing a wish. In the second example, the Past Perfect Subjunctive of the Passive Voice, had been invited, is used in expressing the false condition they had been invited.
Exercises for Chapter 12
1. Change the following affirmative statements into questions. For example:
You are required to attend the meeting.
Are you required to attend the meeting?
She is being ignored.
Is she being ignored?
1. They should be notified.
2. He might have been allowed to come.
3. You had been told about it.
4. They will be needed.
5. It has been adjourned.
6. They were being prepared.
Answers
2. Change the following affirmative statements into negative statements. For example: They would have been instructed to join us.
They would not have been instructed to join us.
It was sent on time.
It was not sent on time.
1. We could have been seen from the island.
2. It is being dealt with satisfactorily.
3. They were being kept under observation.
4. You will be held responsible.
5. They were expected at six o'clock.
6. He will be asked to participate.
Answers
3. Change the following affirmative statements into negative questions. Do not use contractions in this exercise. For example:
He is respected by everyone.
Is he not respected by everyone?
She should be consulted.
Should she not be consulted?
1. They were recognized immediately.
2. We were being assisted by volunteers.
3. It had been delivered.
4. They should have been guarded more carefully.
5. We will be given financial assistance.
6. It had been organized by the club members.
Answers
4. For each of the following sentences, first indicate the tense of the underlined verb, and then change the verb from the Active Voice to the corresponding tense in the Passive Voice. Take note of the resulting change in the meaning of the sentence. For example:
They drive to work at seven o'clock every morning.
Simple Present: They are driven to work at seven o'clock every morning.
Did he notice?
Simple Past: Was he noticed?
She is not telling the truth.
Present Continuous: he is not being told the truth.
We have sent a message.
Present Perfect: We have been sent a message.
I will pay.
Simple Future: I will be paid.
1. Do they expect to leave?
2. He is giving instructions.
3. They have moved to a new location.
4. She will fly to London.
5. He has offered a discount.
6. They have stopped.
7. Will you have given the order?
8. We sent a favorable reply.
9. We were teaching German.
10. I understand.
11. He is offering free advice.
12. She will rush to the reception.
Answers
5. For each of the following sentences, first indicate the tense of the underlined verb, and then change the verb from the Passive Voice to the corresponding tense in the Active Voice. Take note of the resulting change in the meaning of the sentence. For example:
We are paid regularly.
Simple Present: We pay regularly.
She is not assisted every day.
Simple Present: She does not assist every day.
Was he not being flown to Boston?
Past Continuous: Was he not flying to Boston?
It has been grown here for the past twenty years.
Present Perfect: It has grown here for the past twenty years.
Might they be called at nine o'clock?
Simple conjugation with might: Might they call at nine o'clock?
1. We can be heard easily.
2. She is being given advice.
3. Were they not flown over the lake?
4. I had been transferred to another department.
5. He is being stopped.
6. We have been sent a letter.
7. He is not being taught music theory.
8. Should they have been flown to their next destination?
9. They will be watched constantly.
10. We had been driven to the beach this morning.
11. Has he been checked into the hotel?
12. Could I have been told the news yesterday?
6. Change the underlined verbs in the following sentences from the Active Voice to the corresponding tenses in the Passive Voice. Preserve the meaning of the sentences by using the preposition by and making the necessary changes in word order. For example:
The teenager rowed the boat.
The boat was rowed by the teenager.
The girl is riding the horse.
The horse is being ridden by the girl.
The student has prepared the lunch.
The lunch has been prepared by the student.
The president will thank the members.
The members will be thanked by the president.
The children can understand the poem.
The poem can be understood by the children.
1. The woman founded the club.
2. This entry took the prize.
3. The girl is playing the guitar.
4. The mailman has delivered the letter.
5. The chauffeur can drive the car.
6. The child chose the hat.
7. The cat chased the mouse.
8. The workers will weave the carpet.
9. The stranger could have bought the hiking boots.
10. The dealer has sold the car.
11. The dog splashed the water.
12. The man has watered the garden.
Answers
7. Change the underlined verbs in the following sentences from the Passive Voice to the corresponding tenses in the Active Voice. Preserve the meaning of the sentences by omitting the preposition by and making the necessary changes in word order. For example:
The news was heard by everyone.
Everyone heard the news.
The orders were followed by the officials.
The officials followed the orders.
The money is being counted by the cashier.
The cashier is counting the money.
The ducks have been fed by the tourists.
The tourists have fed the ducks.
The flowers will be photographed by the naturalist.
The naturalist will photograph the flowers.
1. The bill was paid by the manager.
2. The bread was made by the baker.
3. The wiring must be checked by the electrician.
4. The crow was being scolded by the squirrel.
5. The book was written by a doctor.
6. The house was painted by a student.
7. The seeds were taken by the chickadee.
8. The cider has been drunk by the guest.
9. The mail is opened by the secretary.
10. The ingredients have been measured by the cooks.
11. The bird was seen by the photographers.
12. His work will be published by the magazine.
Answers
8. Complete the following sentences using the Simple Present Subjunctive of the Passive Voice of the verbs shown in brackets. For example:
She ordered that the most important details ... known. (to make)
She ordered that the most important details be made known.
He advises that the plane ... at a high altitude. (to fly)
He advises that the plane be flown at a high altitude.
1. They demand that the change of plans ... at nine o'clock. (to announce)
2. We ask that permission to compete ... to everyone. (to grant)
3. It is important that their accomplishments ... . (to recognize)
4. It is crucial that we ... of any change. (to advise)
5. He asks that his affairs ... in order. (to put)
6. They requested that their qualifications ... . (to accept)
7. We insist that he not ... his rights. (to deny)
8. It is necessary that the requirements ... . (to meet)
9. She requests that the most experienced candidate ... . (to choose)
10. It is recommended that care ... in making the repairs. (to take)
11. He insists that smoking ... . (to forbid)
12. It is essential that supplies ... well in advance. (to order)
Answers
Answers to the exercises for Chapter 12
Answers to Exercise 1:
1. Should they be notified? 2. Might he have been allowed to leave? 3. Had you been told about it? 4. Will they be needed? 5. Has it been adjourned? 6. Were they being prepared?
Answers to Exercise 2:
1. We could not have been seen from the island. 2. It is not being dealt with satisfactorily. 3. They were not being kept under observation. 4. You will not be held responsible. 5. They were not expected at six o'clock. 6. He will not be asked to participate.
Answers to Exercise 3:
1. Were they not recognized immediately? 2. Were we not being assisted by volunteers? 3. Had it not been delivered? 4. Should they not have been guarded more carefully? 5. Will we not be given financial assistance? 6. Had it not been organized by the club members?
Answers to Exercise 4:
1. Simple Present: Are they expected to leave?
2. Present Continuous: He is being given instructions.
3. Present Perfect: They have been moved to a new location.
4. Simple Future: She will be flown to London.
5. Present Perfect: He has been offered a discount.
6. Present Perfect: They have been stopped.
7. Future Perfect: Will you have been given the order?
8. Simple Past: We were sent a favorable reply.
9. Past Continuous: We were being taught German.
10. Simple Present: I am understood.
11. Present Continuous: He is being offered free advice.
12. Simple Future: She will be rushed to the reception.
Answers to Exercise 5:
1. Simple conjugation with can: We can hear easily.
2. Present Continuous: She is giving advice.
3. Simple Past: Did they not fly over the lake?
4. Past Perfect: I had transferred to another department.
5. Present Continuous: He is stopping.
6. Present Perfect: We have sent a letter.
7. Present Continuous: He is not teaching music theory.
8. Perfect conjugation with should: Should they have flown to their next destination?
9. Simple Future: They will watch constantly.
10. Past Perfect: We had driven to the beach this morning.
11. Present Perfect: Has he checked into the hotel?
12. Perfect conjugation with could: Could I have told the news yesterday?
Answers to Exercise 6:
1. The club was founded by the woman. 2. The prize was taken by this entry. 3. The guitar is being played by the girl. 4. The letter has been delivered by the mailman. 5. The car can be driven by the chauffeur. 6. The hat was chosen by the child. 7. The mouse was chased by the cat. 8. The carpet will be woven by the workers. 9. The hiking boots could have been bought by the stranger. 10. The car has been sold by the dealer. 11. The water was splashed by the dog. 12. The garden has been watered by the man.
Answers to Exercise 7:
1. The manager paid the bill. 2. The baker made the bread. 3. The electrician must check the wiring. 4. The squirrel was scolding the crow. 5. A doctor wrote the book. 6. A student painted the house. 7. The chickadee took the seeds. 8. The guest has drunk the cider. 9. The secretary opens the mail. 10. The cooks have measured the ingredients. 11. The photographers saw the bird. 12. The magazine will publish his work.
Answers to Exercise 8:
1. be announced 2. be granted 3. be recognized 4. be advised 5. be put 6. be accepted 7. be denied 8. be met 9. be chosen 10. be taken 11. be forbidden 12. be ordered