Let’s study the Voices of the Verb?

An Active Sentence Peter wrote a letter. A Passive Sentence A letter Subject Verb Object Peter wrote a letter. A Passive Sentence Object be Participle (by Subject) A letter was written by Peter.

When we changed the sentence: Peter wrote a letter. A letter was written by Peter. We used was as one of the forms of verb ‘ be ’. WHY?

That’s because….. Peter wrote a letter. A letter was written by Peter. We used ‘was’ as one of the forms of verb ‘be’, and it is the simple past tense. That’s because….. The main verb in the active sentence was in the simple past tense. Peter wrote a letter. A letter was written by Peter.

BUT which form of verb to be should I use? Base Form Present Simple Past Simple Past Participle Present Progressive ING form be am is are was were has have been being had

be What agrees with the new subject The same tense of the main verb To use one of the forms of verb to be, we have to meet two conditions: be The same tense of the main verb What agrees with the new subject (object)

Present Perfect Continuous Can you recognize the tense in these sentences? They give us new books at the beginning of every year. Present Simple Present Perfect Continuous They have been publishing these books for ten years. Present Continuous They are discussing the new rules at the highest level. The police caught the thieves last night. Simple Past

Can you recognize the tense in these sentences? The earthquake has destroyed hundreds of houses. Present Perfect Present Perfect Have they cleaned the room yet? They will interview the potential candidate next week. Simple Future They didn't see Mona this morning. Simple Past

Can you recognize the tense in these sentences? While the mechanic was fixing my car at the workshop yesterday, someone broke the windscreen. Past Continuous Simple Past The instructor had notified the students of the new procedures before he asked them to write their rough drafts. Past Perfect Simple Past

Now can you give the equivalent passive of each tense? give /gives Present Simple (am/is/are) given have been publishing Present Perfect Progressive (has/ have) been being published are discussing Present Progressive (am/is/are) being discussed caught Simple Past (was/were) caught

Now can you give the equivalent passive of each tense? has destroyed Present Perfect (has/have) been destroyed Have cleaned Present Perfect Have/Has been cleaned will interview Future Simple will be interviewed didn't see Simple Past Negative (wasn’t/weren’t) seen

(was/were) being fixed Now can you give the equivalent passive of each tense? was fixing broke (was/were) being fixed (was/were) broken Past progressive Simple Past had notified asked had been notified (was/were) asked Past Perfect Simple Past

The Simple Present Active Passive They write / don’t write the science column. He writes / doesn’t write the science columns. The science column is/ isn’t written by them. The science columns are/ aren’t written by him. Do they write the science column? Does he write the science columns? Is the science column written by them? Are the science columns written by him? What do the Dental students write? What does the Pharma student write? What is written by the Dental students? What is written by the Pharma student?

The Simple Present Active Passive He is fixing the stove. They aren’t using the main meeting room. The stove is being fixed. The main meeting room is not being used. Is the worker painting his condominium? Are they finalizing their biology project? Is his condominium being painted? Is their biology project being finalized? Where is he taking the guests? What are they doing about the new complaints? Where are the guests being taken? What is being done about the new complaints?

The Simple Present Active Passive He has broken / hasn’t broken the window. They have seen / have never seen a UFO in this country before. The window has/hasn’t been broken (by him). A UFO [has /has never] been seen in this country before. Has he (ever) broken the window? Have they (ever) seen a UFO in this country before? Has the window (ever) been broken (by him)? Has a UFO (ever) been seen in this country before? What has he broken? What have they seen in this country before? What has been broken? What has been seen in this country before?

The Present Perfect Progressive Passive (Rarely used and considered awkward with this tense) Active They have been teaching anatomy and other medical courses in this college since 2007. Anatomy and other medical courses have been being taught in this college since 2007. Have those kids been torturing that kitten? Has that kitten been being tortured by those kids? What have they been teaching in this college since 2007? What has been being taught in this college since 2007?

The Simple Past Active Passive Jane Austen wrote ‘Sense and Sensibility ‘ in 1811. No one knew his real name. The police didn’t find their hiding place. ‘Sense and Sensibility ‘ was written by Jane Austen in 1811. His real name wasn’t known. Their hiding place wasn’t found. Did they arrange her birthday party? Was her birthday party arranged? Where did they send him? Where was he sent ?

The Past Progressive Active Passive He was cleaning the attic when he found his old jacket. While they were counting the votes, his campaign manager announced his withdrawal. The attic was being cleaned when his old jacket was found. While the votes were being counted, his withdrawal was announced by his campaign manager. Were they interviewing him when someone broke into his apartment? Was he being interviewed when his apartment was broken into? Where were they sending it? Where was it being sent?

The Past Perfect Active Passive They broke the window after they had hit it with a stone. The window was broken after it had been hit with a stone. Had they completed the housework before they called their friends? Had the housework been completed before their friends were called? Why had they sent him to Malaysia earlier? Why had he been sent to Malaysia earlier?

Active Passive The Future Simple and other Modal Auxiliary Structures They will send some warning letters soon. Ahmad is going to write the art column. They must obey the rules. Some warning letters will be sent soon. The art column is going to be written by Ahmad. The rules must be obeyed. Will they send the warning letters soon? Is Ahmad going to write the art column? Do they have to obey the rules? Can you deliver this envelope tonight? Will the warning letters be sent soon? Is the art column going to be written by Ahmad? Do the rules have to be obeyed? Can this envelope be delivered tonight? When will they send the warning letters? What will the Dental students write? When will the warning letters be sent? What will be written by the Dental students?

Change the following into Passive. 1. Did they tell her the story? 2. What must we do about this? 3. What questions did they ask? 4. Has anyone changed the curtains yet? 5. Where did they park the car? 6. Will anyone tell him about the accident? 7. Has anyone dusted that blackboard yet? 8. Who is cleaning my room? First try to do these transformations yourself. The answers are on the following slide.

Did they tell her the story? Was she told the story? What must we do about this? What must be done about this? What questions did they ask? What questions were asked? Has anyone changed the curtains yet? Have the curtains been changed yet?

Where did they park the car? Where was the car parked? Will anyone tell him about the accident? Will he be told about the accident? Has anyone dusted that blackboard yet? Has that blackboard been dusted yet? Who is cleaning my room? Who is my room being cleaned by?

Credits Teacher Wagner Junior Voices of the Verb Grammar