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it",null,{"type":44,"value":45,"toc":894},"minimark",[46,50,55,58,83,86,90,93,119,176,187,194,198,201,257,272,276,290,409,412,499,509,513,523,545,548,552,558,581,585,604,635,646,650,657,677,681,684,701,712,716,726,739,753,756,760,763,828,832,835,869],[47,48,49],"p",{},"The passive voice reverses the usual order of an English sentence. Instead of the\nsubject doing the action, the subject receives it. Learners often treat the\npassive as something to avoid, but it is everywhere in news reports, science\nwriting and polite conversation, and using it well is part of sounding fluent.",[51,52,54],"h2",{"id":53},"active-vs-passive","Active vs passive",[47,56,57],{},"In an active sentence the subject does the action. In a passive sentence the\nsubject receives it.",[59,60,61,74],"ul",{},[62,63,64,68,69,73],"li",{},[65,66,67],"strong",{},"Active:"," ",[70,71,72],"em",{},"The chef cooked the meal."," (The chef is the doer.)",[62,75,76,68,79,82],{},[65,77,78],{},"Passive:",[70,80,81],{},"The meal was cooked by the chef."," (The meal receives the action.)",[47,84,85],{},"The two sentences describe the same event. What changes is the focus: the active\nsentence is about the chef, the passive sentence is about the meal.",[51,87,89],{"id":88},"how-to-form-the-passive","How to form the passive",[47,91,92],{},"Three things happen when you turn an active sentence into a passive one:",[94,95,96,107,113],"ol",{},[62,97,98,99,102,103,106],{},"The ",[65,100,101],{},"object"," of the active sentence becomes the ",[65,104,105],{},"subject",".",[62,108,109,110,106],{},"The verb changes to ",[65,111,112],{},"be + past participle",[62,114,115,116,106],{},"The original subject becomes an optional ",[65,117,118],{},"by + agent",[120,121,122,140],"table",{},[123,124,125],"thead",{},[126,127,128,131,134,137],"tr",{},[129,130],"th",{},[129,132,133],{},"Subject",[129,135,136],{},"Verb",[129,138,139],{},"Object",[141,142,143,160],"tbody",{},[126,144,145,151,154,157],{},[146,147,148],"td",{},[65,149,150],{},"Active",[146,152,153],{},"The chef",[146,155,156],{},"cooked",[146,158,159],{},"the meal",[126,161,162,167,170,173],{},[146,163,164],{},[65,165,166],{},"Passive",[146,168,169],{},"The meal",[146,171,172],{},"was cooked",[146,174,175],{},"(by the chef)",[47,177,178,179,182,183,186],{},"The by-phrase is optional, and most of the time you leave it out. ",[70,180,181],{},"The meal was\ncooked"," is a complete, natural sentence. You add ",[70,184,185],{},"by the chef"," only when the doer\nis worth mentioning.",[47,188,189,190,193],{},"The tense of the original verb is carried by ",[65,191,192],{},"be",", not by the participle. The\nparticiple never changes. To build any passive, ask two questions: what tense do\nI need, and what is the past participle of the main verb.",[51,195,197],{"id":196},"when-to-use-the-passive","When to use the passive",[47,199,200],{},"The passive is not just a stylistic choice; it does jobs the active cannot.",[59,202,203,212,221,230,239,248],{},[62,204,205,68,208,211],{},[65,206,207],{},"The doer is unknown.",[70,209,210],{},"My bike was stolen."," (I do not know who took it.)",[62,213,214,68,217,220],{},[65,215,216],{},"The doer is obvious.",[70,218,219],{},"The thief was arrested."," (Clearly by the police.)",[62,222,223,68,226,229],{},[65,224,225],{},"The doer is unimportant.",[70,227,228],{},"English is spoken here."," (Who speaks it does not\nmatter.)",[62,231,232,68,235,238],{},[65,233,234],{},"To keep focus on the action or result.",[70,236,237],{},"The bridge was built in 1890.","\n(The bridge is the topic, not the builders.)",[62,240,241,68,244,247],{},[65,242,243],{},"In formal, scientific and news writing.",[70,245,246],{},"The samples were heated to 200\ndegrees."," (Standard in lab reports, where the method matters more than the\nperson.)",[62,249,250,68,253,256],{},[65,251,252],{},"To be tactful or avoid blame.",[70,254,255],{},"Mistakes were made."," (Nobody has to say who\nmade them.)",[47,258,259,260,263,264,267,268,271],{},"When ",[65,261,262],{},"not"," to use it: if the doer is the interesting part of the sentence, the\nactive is clearer and stronger. ",[70,265,266],{},"Shakespeare wrote Hamlet"," beats ",[70,269,270],{},"Hamlet was\nwritten by Shakespeare"," when Shakespeare is the point. Do not reach for the\npassive out of habit.",[51,273,275],{"id":274},"the-passive-across-the-tenses","The passive across the tenses",[47,277,278,279,281,282,285,286,289],{},"This is the table to memorise. The main verb stays in its past participle; only\n",[65,280,192],{}," moves through the tenses. The examples all use the verb ",[70,283,284],{},"do"," (past\nparticiple ",[70,287,288],{},"done",").",[120,291,292,303],{},[123,293,294],{},[126,295,296,299,301],{},[129,297,298],{},"Tense",[129,300,150],{},[129,302,166],{},[141,304,305,318,331,344,357,370,383,396],{},[126,306,307,310,313],{},[146,308,309],{},"Present simple",[146,311,312],{},"does",[146,314,315],{},[65,316,317],{},"is done",[126,319,320,323,326],{},[146,321,322],{},"Present continuous",[146,324,325],{},"is doing",[146,327,328],{},[65,329,330],{},"is being done",[126,332,333,336,339],{},[146,334,335],{},"Past simple",[146,337,338],{},"did",[146,340,341],{},[65,342,343],{},"was done",[126,345,346,349,352],{},[146,347,348],{},"Past continuous",[146,350,351],{},"was doing",[146,353,354],{},[65,355,356],{},"was being done",[126,358,359,362,365],{},[146,360,361],{},"Present perfect",[146,363,364],{},"has done",[146,366,367],{},[65,368,369],{},"has been done",[126,371,372,375,378],{},[146,373,374],{},"Past perfect",[146,376,377],{},"had done",[146,379,380],{},[65,381,382],{},"had been done",[126,384,385,388,391],{},[146,386,387],{},"Future (will)",[146,389,390],{},"will do",[146,392,393],{},[65,394,395],{},"will be done",[126,397,398,401,404],{},[146,399,400],{},"Modal (can, must, etc.)",[146,402,403],{},"can do",[146,405,406],{},[65,407,408],{},"can be done",[47,410,411],{},"In a full sentence:",[120,413,414,423],{},[123,415,416],{},[126,417,418,420],{},[129,419,298],{},[129,421,422],{},"Passive example",[141,424,425,434,443,452,461,470,479,489],{},[126,426,427,429],{},[146,428,309],{},[146,430,431],{},[70,432,433],{},"The office is cleaned every day.",[126,435,436,438],{},[146,437,322],{},[146,439,440],{},[70,441,442],{},"The office is being cleaned right now.",[126,444,445,447],{},[146,446,335],{},[146,448,449],{},[70,450,451],{},"The office was cleaned yesterday.",[126,453,454,456],{},[146,455,348],{},[146,457,458],{},[70,459,460],{},"The office was being cleaned when I arrived.",[126,462,463,465],{},[146,464,361],{},[146,466,467],{},[70,468,469],{},"The office has been cleaned already.",[126,471,472,474],{},[146,473,374],{},[146,475,476],{},[70,477,478],{},"The office had been cleaned before we got there.",[126,480,481,484],{},[146,482,483],{},"Future",[146,485,486],{},[70,487,488],{},"The office will be cleaned tomorrow.",[126,490,491,494],{},[146,492,493],{},"Modal",[146,495,496],{},[70,497,498],{},"The office must be cleaned tonight.",[47,500,501,502,504,505,508],{},"Notice the pattern: every passive contains a form of ",[65,503,192],{}," followed by\n",[65,506,507],{},"cleaned",". Once you can spot that shape, you can read any passive sentence.",[51,510,512],{"id":511},"the-get-passive","The get-passive",[47,514,515,516,519,520,522],{},"In informal English, ",[70,517,518],{},"get"," often replaces ",[70,521,192],{}," in the passive, especially when\nsomething happens to someone, often something bad or sudden.",[59,524,525,535,540],{},[62,526,527,530,531,534],{},[70,528,529],{},"He got fired."," (more casual than ",[70,532,533],{},"he was fired",")",[62,536,537],{},[70,538,539],{},"My phone got stolen.",[62,541,542],{},[70,543,544],{},"They got married last year.",[47,546,547],{},"The get-passive is fine in speech and informal writing, but stick to the\nbe-passive in formal or academic work.",[51,549,551],{"id":550},"negatives-and-questions","Negatives and questions",[47,553,554,555,557],{},"The passive forms its negatives and questions the same way the active does, by\nworking with the auxiliary verb (the form of ",[70,556,192],{}," or the modal).",[59,559,560,572],{},[62,561,562,565,566,568,569],{},[65,563,564],{},"Negative:"," add ",[70,567,262],{}," after the first auxiliary. ",[70,570,571],{},"The letter was not sent.\nThe work has not been finished.",[62,573,574,577,578],{},[65,575,576],{},"Question:"," put the first auxiliary before the subject. ",[70,579,580],{},"Was the letter\nsent? Has the work been finished? Can it be done by Monday?",[51,582,584],{"id":583},"the-passive-with-two-objects","The passive with two objects",[47,586,587,588,591,592,595,596,599,600,603],{},"Some verbs take two objects: a person and a thing (",[70,589,590],{},"give, send, offer, tell,\nshow, pay","). ",[70,593,594],{},"They gave me a prize"," has both ",[70,597,598],{},"me"," and ",[70,601,602],{},"a prize",". Either object\ncan become the subject of the passive, so you get two versions.",[120,605,606,618],{},[123,607,608],{},[126,609,610,612,615],{},[129,611,150],{},[129,613,614],{},"Passive (person first)",[129,616,617],{},"Passive (thing first)",[141,619,620],{},[126,621,622,625,630],{},[146,623,624],{},"They gave me a prize.",[146,626,627],{},[70,628,629],{},"I was given a prize.",[146,631,632],{},[70,633,634],{},"A prize was given to me.",[47,636,637,638,641,642,645],{},"The person-first version (",[70,639,640],{},"I was given a prize",") is the more common in everyday\nEnglish. Note the ",[70,643,644],{},"to"," that appears in the thing-first version.",[51,647,649],{"id":648},"by-vs-with","By vs with",[47,651,652,653,656],{},"The by-phrase names the doer. Use ",[70,654,655],{},"with"," instead when you name the tool or\nmaterial used.",[59,658,659,669],{},[62,660,661,668],{},[70,662,663,664,667],{},"The window was broken ",[65,665,666],{},"by"," a boy."," (the doer)",[62,670,671,676],{},[70,672,663,673,675],{},[65,674,655],{}," a hammer."," (the instrument)",[51,678,680],{"id":679},"reporting-with-the-passive","Reporting with the passive",[47,682,683],{},"Formal English, especially news and academic writing, uses a passive structure\nto report what people say or believe without naming the source. It keeps the\nstatement neutral.",[59,685,686,691,696],{},[62,687,688],{},[70,689,690],{},"It is said that he is very rich.",[62,692,693],{},[70,694,695],{},"He is said to be very rich.",[62,697,698],{},[70,699,700],{},"The suspect is believed to have left the country.",[47,702,703,704,707,708,711],{},"Both patterns work with verbs like ",[70,705,706],{},"say, believe, think, know, report"," and\n",[70,709,710],{},"expect",". They are a tidy way to pass on information you cannot fully vouch for.",[51,713,715],{"id":714},"only-transitive-verbs-can-be-passive","Only transitive verbs can be passive",[47,717,718,719,722,723,289],{},"A verb can only be made passive if it has an object, because the object is what\nbecomes the new subject. These are ",[65,720,721],{},"transitive"," verbs (",[70,724,725],{},"cook, build, steal,\nwrite",[47,727,728,731,732,599,735,738],{},[65,729,730],{},"Intransitive"," verbs, which have no object, cannot be passive. Verbs like\n",[70,733,734],{},"happen, arrive, sleep, fall",[70,736,737],{},"die"," describe something the subject does on\nits own, so there is no object to promote.",[59,740,741,747],{},[62,742,743,744],{},"Right: ",[70,745,746],{},"An accident happened.",[62,748,749,750],{},"Wrong: ",[70,751,752],{},"I was happened.",[47,754,755],{},"If you cannot answer \"what?\" after the verb, the verb is intransitive and has no\npassive.",[51,757,759],{"id":758},"common-mistakes","Common mistakes",[47,761,762],{},"Ranked by how often they actually appear:",[94,764,765,784,803,815],{},[62,766,767,770,771,773,774,591,776,779,780,783],{},[65,768,769],{},"Forgetting be."," The passive needs a form of ",[70,772,192],{}," (or ",[70,775,518],{},[70,777,778],{},"The work\ndone yesterday"," is not a sentence; it has to be ",[70,781,782],{},"The work was done yesterday.","\nThis is the single most common passive error.",[62,785,786,68,789,599,792,795,796,599,799,802],{},[65,787,788],{},"Wrong past participle.",[70,790,791],{},"The letter was wrote",[70,793,794],{},"the song was sang"," use\nthe past simple instead of the participle. It is ",[70,797,798],{},"was written",[70,800,801],{},"was sung.","\nIrregular verbs cause most of these.",[62,804,805,68,808,811,812],{},[65,806,807],{},"Making intransitive verbs passive.",[70,809,810],{},"I was happened, she was arrived, it\nwas occurred."," These verbs have no object, so they cannot be passive. Say ",[70,813,814],{},"it\nhappened, she arrived, it occurred.",[62,816,817,68,820,823,824,827],{},[65,818,819],{},"Overusing the passive where the active is clearer.",[70,821,822],{},"The ball was kicked by\nme"," is grammatically correct but weak. ",[70,825,826],{},"I kicked the ball"," is shorter and\nstronger. Use the passive for a reason, not by default.",[51,829,831],{"id":830},"practice","Practice",[47,833,834],{},"Rewrite each active sentence in the passive, or fill the gap. Answers are below.",[94,836,837,843,849,857,863],{},[62,838,839,842],{},[70,840,841],{},"Somebody stole my car."," (Rewrite in the passive, doer unknown.)",[62,844,845,848],{},[70,846,847],{},"They are building a new school."," (Rewrite in the present continuous passive.)",[62,850,851,852,856],{},"English ",[853,854,855],"code",{},"___"," (speak) all over the world. (present simple passive)",[62,858,859,860,862],{},"The report ",[853,861,855],{}," (finish) by Friday. (future passive with will)",[62,864,865,868],{},[70,866,867],{},"The dog bit the postman."," (Rewrite in the past simple passive, keep the\nby-phrase.)",[47,870,871,874,875,878,879,882,883,886,887,890,891],{},[65,872,873],{},"Answers:"," 1. ",[70,876,877],{},"My car was stolen."," 2. ",[70,880,881],{},"A new school is being built."," 3. ",[70,884,885],{},"is\nspoken"," 4. ",[70,888,889],{},"will be finished"," 5. ",[70,892,893],{},"The postman was bitten by the dog.",{"title":895,"searchDepth":896,"depth":896,"links":897},"",2,[898,899,900,901,902,903,904,905,906,907,908,909],{"id":53,"depth":896,"text":54},{"id":88,"depth":896,"text":89},{"id":196,"depth":896,"text":197},{"id":274,"depth":896,"text":275},{"id":511,"depth":896,"text":512},{"id":550,"depth":896,"text":551},{"id":583,"depth":896,"text":584},{"id":648,"depth":896,"text":649},{"id":679,"depth":896,"text":680},{"id":714,"depth":896,"text":715},{"id":758,"depth":896,"text":759},{"id":830,"depth":896,"text":831},"B1","How to form and use the passive voice in English. The be + past participle rule, the passive across every tense, when to use it, and the mistakes to avoid.","md",[914,917,920,923],{"q":915,"a":916},"What is the passive voice?","In the passive voice the subject receives the action instead of doing it. The chef cooked the meal is active; the meal was cooked by the chef is passive. It is formed with the verb be plus the past participle, and the original doer becomes an optional by-phrase.",{"q":918,"a":919},"When should I use the passive voice?","Use the passive when the doer is unknown (my bike was stolen), obvious or unimportant, when you want to keep the focus on the action or result, in formal, scientific and news writing, or when you want to be tactful and avoid naming who is to blame (mistakes were made).",{"q":921,"a":922},"How do I form the passive in different tenses?","Keep the past participle the same and change the verb be to match the tense: is done (present simple), was done (past simple), is being done (present continuous), has been done (present perfect), will be done (future), can be done (modal). The tense lives in be, never in the participle.",{"q":924,"a":925},"Can every verb be made passive?","No. Only transitive verbs, which take an object, can be passive, because the object becomes the new subject. Intransitive verbs like happen, arrive and sleep have no object, so I was happened is wrong; it has to be it happened.","english",{},"\u002Fenglish\u002Fgrammar\u002Fpassive-voice",{"title":41,"description":911},"english\u002Fgrammar\u002Fpassive-voice","E1AJ7ta5_G-RH2QYy895PsrFQw-oghN1wkHyUmEEJ8s"]