1. Let’s study the Voices of the Verb?

2. 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.

3. 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?

4. 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.

5. 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

6. 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)

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

11. 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

12. (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

13. 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?

14. 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?

15. 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?

16. 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?

17. 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 ?

18. 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?

19. 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?

20. 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?

21. 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.

22. 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?

23. 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?

24. Credits
Teacher Wagner Junior
Voices of the Verb
Grammar