Well, in my last tests were a few sentences in the passive voice and they turned out to be the most complicated for you to correct. So, I'd like to explain you how to use the passive voice correctly. Let's compre the active and the passive voices.
In the active voice, the subject performs the action denoted by the verb (the predicate).
I told you a funny story yesterday.
In the passive voice we can change the word order and use any of the objects as a subject. It means that the subject is no longer active, but is, instead, being acted upon by the verb. So, it becomes passive.
You were told a funny story yesterday.
What a funny story was told yesterday!
The passive form of a verb is:
The verb “to be” in the necessary tense + the past participle passive (V-ed for the regular verbs and the III-d form for the irregular verbs).
In the examples, given above I have used the past simple tense (was/were).
I will show you the correct forms of a passive verb in all the tenses.
Tense |
|
|
Present Simple | Am/is/are |
|
Present Progressive | Am/is /are being |
|
Present Perfect | Have/has been |
|
Past Simple | Was/were | + past participle, passive |
Past Progressive | Was/were being |
|
Past Perfect | Had been |
|
Future Simple | Will be |
|
Future Perfect | Will have been |
|
Now, I will give you some examples in all the tenses:
Active: Workers build many houses every year.
Passive: Many houses are built every year.
Active: The workers are building a new house on our street.
Passive: A new house is being built on our street.
Active: The workers have just buit the house.
Passive: This house has just been built.
Active: The workers built this house last year.
Passive: This house was built last year.
Active: When I returned, the workers were still building the house.
Passive: When he returned, the house was still being built.
Active: The workers had built the house before he returned.
Passive: The house had been built before he returned.
Active: The workers will build the house soon.
Passive: This house will be built soon.
Active: The workers will have built this house by the end of the year.
Passive: This house will have been built by the end of the year.
The tenses in the passive voice are used according to the general rules.
As it is a "lesson" you can ask me any questions.
And here is your assignment: please, write at least 10 sentences in the passive voice using different tenses.
Comments
Dear Peppo, thanks for trying. I will correct you a little.
1. EC members are taught grammar by Danny and Tanya.
2. The students are being taught a new lesson at Tanya's class (NOW).
3. The lesson about prepositions has just been taught.
4. The participle I and II were taught last month.
5. When Danny came up with a new lesson, the previous task was still being done (worked sounds wrong).
6. The active and passive voice had been explained before he gave an assignment about them.
7. The task on advance grammar will be given soon.
8. The answer for the task will have been given by the end of the month.
9. Danny's correction is being checked by me (NOW).
10. The grammar lessons are enjoyed by EC Members (USUALLY).
1. EC members are taught grammar by Danny and Tanya.
2. The students are being taught a new lesson in Tanya's class.
3. The lesson about prepositions has just been taught.
4. The participle I and II were taught last month.
5. When Danny came up with a new lesson, the previous task was still being worked.
6. The active and passive voice had been explained before he gave an assignment about those.
7. The task of advance grammar will be given soon.
8. The answer of the task will have been given by the end of the month.
9. Danny's correction is being checked by me.
10. The grammar lessons are being enjoyed by EC Members.
Thank you for the lesson.
1. EC members are taught grammar by Danny and Tanya.
2. The students are being taught a new lesson in Tanya's class.
3. The lesson about prepositions has just been taught.
4. The participle I and II were taught last month.
5. When Danny came up with a new lesson, the previous task was still being worked.
6. The active and passive voice had been explained before he gave an assignment about those.
7. The task of advance grammar will be given soon.
8. The answer of the task will have been given by the end of the month.
9. Danny's correction is being checked by me.
10. The grammar lessons are being enjoyed by EC Members.
Thank you for the lesson.
Hi Danny,
Thank you a million, actually you gave me the lesson that I need. I am so often confusing to use the passive voice in a sentence. It is useful for learning of English, indeed. I am not sure that I can participate in your exercise but I will give it try. It is my first attempt in your test. Wish me luck for that :D
We as a member of this site feel lucky to have you as a native who are willing to teach us patiently and eagerly.
Thanks once again for the valuable lesson that you gave for us.
Dear Danny,
Thanks,
Dear Bijan, whatever we see above is IN the sky: planes, starts, the moon, the sun.....
Dear Danny,
Thank you for your great explanation. I got the subject very well.
One question, please:
Why have you used "in" for the sky?
We usually see the moon ON the sky.
Best wishes,
Dear Bijan, yes, you can use each of objects as a subject in the passive voice, but the first one sounds more natural. Look:
1. My friend gave me a book (active). In this sentence MY FRIEND is a subject, the main word in the sentence. So, using the active voice, I emphasize this word meaning it was MY FRIEND (but nobody else) who gave me a book.
2. I was given a book by my friend (passive). This sentence tells us it was I, but nobody else who got a book.
3. A book was given to me by my friend (passive). This sentence tells us that it is important that I got A BOOK, but nothing else.
Do you feel the difference now?
Answering to another question, yes, in any complex sentence one predicate must be in the past simple tense. So, if you use the perfect/progressive tense in one clause, there must be the simple tense in the other/another.
Now, here are your examples:
1. My cellphone is being used by me just now.
2. When I came to international Tehran's airport yesterday, a plane was leaving the airport. (It is the active vioce)
3. My flat was built in 2010.
4. I was being told about president Donald Trump when I saw the moon in the sky. If you mean that someone was telling you about the president at that moment)
5. My girlfriend will be sent by me to the beach next June.
Firstly, sorry.
I used "should" by a mistake, so we usually use indirect object in passive voice.
Secondly, If a sentence will have two objects (DO and IO), is it possible we write the passive voice in two below forms, please?
My friend gave me a book yesterday.
1. I was given a book by my friend yesterday.
2. A book was given to me by my friend yesterday.
Thirdly, if we want to use the passive voice for the tenses of past progressive and past perfect, should we use the tense past simple with them (your above examples: A-when he returned, the house was still being built. B- The house had been built before he returned.).
my new sentences, please:
1. My cellphone is being used by me just now.
2. When I went to international Tehran's airport yesterday, a plan was being left the airport.
3. My flat was built in 2010.
4. I was being talked about president Donald Trump when I saw the moon on the sky.
5. My girlfriend will be sent by me to the beach next June.
Thanks in advance and best wishes,
Firstly, sorry.
I used "should" by a mistake, so we usually use indirect object in passive voice.
Secondly, If a sentence will have two objects (DO and IO), is it possible we write the passive voice in two below forms, please?
My friend gave me a book yesterday.
1. I was given a book by my friend yesterday.
2. A book was given to me by my friend yesterday.
Thirdly, if we want to use the passive voice for the tenses of past progressive and past perfect, should we use the tense past simple with them (your above examples: A-when he returned, the house was still being built. B- The house had been built before he returned.).
my new sentences, please:
1. My cellphone is being used by me just now.
2. When I went to international Tehran's airport yesterday, a plan was being left the airport.
3. My flat was built in 2010.
4. I was being talked about president Donald Trump when I saw the moon on the sky.
5. My girlfriend will be sent by me to the beach next June.
Thanks in advance and best wishes,
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