There are two special forms for verbs called voice: active voice and passive voice.

1. Personal passive:
Personal Passive simply means that the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive
sentence. So every verb that needs an object (transitive verb) can form a personal passive.

 In the active voice, the object receives the action of the verb :

The doer of the action The action The receiver of the action
Active voice (subject) (verb) (object)
Cats eat fish
 In the passive voice, the object of the active verb becomes the subject of the passive verb.

The receiver of the action The action The doer of the action
Passive voice
Fish are eaten by cats

Use of the passive

Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is not important or not known who or what
is performing the action.

Examples: My bike was stolen.

In the example above, the focus is on the fact that my bike was stolen . I do not know, however, who did it.

Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than active voice, as the following example shows:

Example: A mistake was made.

In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was made, but I do not blame anyone (e.g. You have made a
mistake.).

 When the verb in the active has two objects,

objects, it is possible to have two passives.
passives.

Example:
Active voice Salma offered me a flower.

Passive voice 1 A flower was offered to me.

Passive voice 2 I was offered a flower.

Form of the passive:

SUBJECT + TO BE (in the appropriate tense) + PAST PARTICIPLE (regular verbs: vb+ed
rd
TO GET irregular verbs: 3 form)
.
e.g. The grass is cut every day. My shirts are being washed just now. The tyres were pumped up
The tables were being laid when the guests arrived. Her dress got caught in the door.
2. Impersonal passive:
Verbs without an object normally cannot form a personal passive sentence (as there is no object that can become
the subject of the passive). To use an intransitive
intransit ive verb in passive voice, you need an impersonal construction.

In English, Impersonal Passive is only possible with verbs of perception (e. g. say, think, believe, know, etc).

Example:

Active voice a. They say that women live longer than men.
b. They believe that our planet is in danger.

In impersonal
It is + the pastpassive,
form ofwe
thecan start
verb ofthe passive form
perception with :
+ that-clause
It is said that
Passive voice 1 It is thought that women live longer than men.
It is believed that our planet is in danger.
It is known that
We can also start the passive form of these sentences with the subject of that clause + verb to be in
the present + the past form of the verb of perception + the verb of that clause in the infinitive
a. Women are thought to live longer than men.
Passive voice 2
b. Our planet is believed to be in danger.
The passive form with different tenses:

ctive voice Passive voice

Tenses Form Rule Fom Rule

Subject + verb (-s/-es/-ies) Subject + is / am + V3
Singular writes a letter.
Sana writes Singular A letter is written.
Present
He punches
punches me in the face. I am punched in the face.
simple
Plural Subject + verb Plural Subject + are + V3
They write letters. Letters are written.
Subject + is / am + verb-ing Subject + is / am + being + V3
Singular She is watching a movie. Singular A movie is being watched.
Present
It is hurting me. I am being hurt.
continuous
Plural Subject + are + verb-ing Plural Subject + are + being + V3
We are p pla
laying
ying video games. Video games are being played.
S + verb + d / ed / ied S + was + V3 (regular verbs + d / ed /
(Irregular verbs have no rule) ied, but irregular verbs have no rules)
Singular He play ed football.
played Singular Football was played.
Simple past She ate couscous. Couscous was eaten
Subject + verb + d / ed / ied S + were + V3 (regular verbs + d / ed/
(Irregular verbs have no rule) ied, but irregular verbs have no rules)
Plural Plural
They killed their hostages. Their hostages were killed.
The thieves robbed two houses. Two houses were robbed.
Singular Subject + was + verb-ing Singular Subject + was + being + V3
Past I was cooking Tajine. Tajine was being cooked.
continuous
Subject + were + verb-ing Plural Subject + were + being + verb-ing
Plural
They were hunting birds. Birds were being hunted.
rd
Singular 3 Subject + has + V3 Singular Subject + has + been + V3
Present person He has eaten a cake 3rd person A cake has been eaten.
perfect
Other forms Subject + have + V3 Plural Subject + have + been + V3
We have watched documentaries. Documentaries have been watched.
Past Subject + had + V3 Subject + had + been + V3
All forms All forms
perfect Sam had po
poi so
sone
ned
d the cat. The cat had been poisoned by Sam.
Subject + modal + verb Subject + modal + be + V3
Modals All forms She can speak English. All forms English can be spoken.
They will write the reports. The reports will be written
If the object of the active is a pronoun, you have to change the object pronoun to a
subject pronoun in the passive: She kicked him He was kicked.

Object pronoun
pronouns
s Subject pronouns

Me I
You You
Him He
Her She
It It
Us We
You You
Them They

Task 1 – Rewrite the following sentences in the Passive Voice. Task 2 – Rewrite the following sentences in the Passive
1 – People use credit cards to make shopping easier. Voice.
______________________
____________ _______________________
______________________
________________
_______ 1) People know that drug addiction is dangerous.
2 – Peter doesn’t finish the school tasks.
It is ________________________________________
________________________________________
______________________
____________ _______________________
______________________
________________
_______
3 – I am carrying two heavy parcels. 2) They believe that the lunch will be delicious.
______________________
_____________ ______________________
_________________________
________________
____ The lunch is ____________________________________
____________________________________
4 – Mary isn’t singing
singing a new song.
3) They think that the children are at school.
______________________
____________ _______________________
______________________
________________
_______
5 – You wrote a long letter yesterday.
_______________________
____________ _______________________
______________________
________________
______ The children _________________________________
_________________________________
4) People said that the robbery lasted half an hour.
6 – I didn’t buy a magazine last weekend.
______________________
____________ _______________________
______________________
________________
_______ It is ________________________________________
________________________________________
7 – I have eaten many sweets. 5) People acknowledge that he is talented.
______________________
____________________________________
_________________________
_______________
____
He is _______________________________________
_______________________________________
8 – He has sent a Christmas postcard.
6) The newspapers reported that he won the
t he jackpot.
______________________
___________________________________
______________________
________________
_______
9 – Children weren’t reading comics. He was _______________________________________
_______________________________________
______________________
___________________________________
______________________
________________
_______ 7) They think that your tea is too sweet.
10 – She was reading the newspaper yesterday at 9pm. It is _______________________________________
_______________________
___________________________________
__________________
______
____________________________________________
____________________________________________
11 – This famous director will produce ten short comedy films
in four years. 8) Everybody says the old bridge will collapse.
______________________
____________ _______________________
______________________
________________
_______ The old ______________________________________
______________________________________

Answers:

Task 1: Task 2
1– Credit cars are used to make shopping easier. 1) It is known that drug addiction is
2 – The school tasks aren’t finished by Peter. dangerous.
3 – Two heavy parcels are being carried by me.
2) The lunch is believed to be delicious.
4 – A new song isn’t being sung by Mary.
3) The children are thought to be at school.
5 – A long letter wasn’t written by you yesterday.
6 – A magazine wasn’t bought by me last weekend.
4) It is said that the robbery lasted half an
7 – Many sweets have been eaten by me. hour.
8 - A Christmas postcard has been sent by him. 5) He is acknowledged to be talented.
9 – Comics weren´t being read by children. 6) He was reported to have won the jackpot.
10 – The newspaper was being read by her yesterday at 9pm. 7) It is thought that your tea is too sweet.
11 - Ten short comedy films will be produced by this famous
8) The old bridge is said to collapse.
director in four years.