1. PASSIVE VOICE
Level 3 Spring 2014

2. active and passive verbs
Most sentences in English are active.
Active means that the subject does the action:
subject verb object
George de Mestral, a Swiss engineer, invented velcro. } George did the action -- he invented
S V O
Manufacturers use it on handbags, shoes, and clothing.
S V O S V O
Astronauts need velcro on spaceships. It holds things down.

3. …. but sometimes sentences are passive
Passive means that the subject is not doing the action.
Instead, something happens to the subject.
Velcro was invented by George de Mestral, a Swiss engineer.
Velcro is a thing. George is a person.
George did the action -- not the velcro!

4. Do you notice the differences between the active and passive sentences?
1. The object and the subject switch places
subject verb object
George de Mestral, a Swiss engineer, invented velcro.
Velcro was invented by George de Mestral, a Swiss engineer.
subject verb object

5. 2. Another difference is the verb. Snakes eat mice
2. Another difference is the verb Snakes eat mice Mice are eaten by snakes In Florida, an alligator ate a snake! In Florida, a snake was eaten by an alligator. Poachers hunt snakes for their skin. Snakes are hunted for their skin by poachers.
passive = be + past participle

6. 3. passive sentences may use “by”
sometimes, it isn’t important or
known who/what did the action
India was given independence 1947.
Coffee is grown in many countries
The pearl carpet of Baroda was made
with more than 1 million pearls.
In Texas, hundreds of trucks are
stolen each month.
by is used when it’s important or
known who/what did the action
Romeo and Juliet was written by
Shakespeare.
Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo
da Vinci.
This sweater was made by my
grandmother.
New Orleans was destroyed by
a hurricane in 2005.

7. 3. passive sentences may use “by”
sometimes, it isn’t important or
known who/what did the action
India was given independence 1947.
Coffee is grown in many countries
The pearl carpet of Baroda was made
with more than 1 million pearls.
In Texas, hundreds of trucks are
stolen each month.
by is used when it’s important or
known who/what did the action
Romeo and Juliet was written by
Shakespeare.
Mona Lisa was painted by Leonardo
da Vinci.
This sweater was made by my
grandmother.
New Orleans was destroyed by
a hurricane in 2005.