Passive Voice

Passive Voice This will affect you if the problem continues. You will be affected (by this) if the problem continues.

In the active voice, the object receives the action of the verb: This problem is affecting >> you. In the passive voice, the subject receives the action of the verb: You << are being affected by this problem.

Use the when: Use the passive when: the agent (the person or thing doing the action) is unknown or not important. The magazine was founded in (I don’t know who founded it.) the identity of the agent is clear from the context. The magazine is sold in newsagents. (We can assume that the people who work in the newsagent’s sell it. We don’t need to mention them.) you want to avoid mentioning the agent. Some mistakes were made in that article. (I know who made the mistakes but I don’t want to blame the person who made them.)

Passive Voice - STEPS They will serve snacks and drinks. 1. Move the direct object to the subject of the sentence. Snacks and drinks 2. Check the verb tense; use the verb "be" in the same tense. Snacks and drinks will be 3. Change the verb into a past participle; put this verb after the form of “be”. Snacks and drinks will be served (by them).

Present Progressive Passive He isn’t doing his homework. 1. Move the direct object to the subject of the sentence. His homework 2. Check the verb tense; use the verb "be" in the same tense. His homework isn’t being 3. Change the verb into a past participle; put this verb after the form of “be”. His homework isn’t being done (by him).

Present Perfect Passive He has bought red flowers. 1. Red flowers 2. have been 3. bought 4. (by him) Red flowers have been bought (by him).

Future Passive The boy will finish the picture tomorrow. 1. The picture 2. will be 3. finished 4. (by the boy) 5. tomorrow. The picture will be finished by the boy tomorrow.

The Raven was written by Edgar Alla Poe. The man can’t leave the island. He is being ‘watched’ by a shark. When should the AGENT be mentioned?

Mention the agent when: you introduce necessary new information about the agent. you introduce necessary new information about the agent. John is a great computer programmer. He has just been hired by Microsoft. (The name of John’s employer is necessary New information.)  you want to give credit to someone who created something. The software was developed by John.  the agent is surprising or interesting. The elephant is being delivered by a stork.

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Developed by Kátia Martins Pereira