THE PASSIVE
The passive consists of a form of the verb ‘to be’ followed by a past participle. We do not know (or are
not interested in who) performed the action. Sometimes the person who performed the action – the so-
called agent – is mentioned (e.g. The fire was discovered by a ten year old boy), but you do not
usually find / need an agent in passive sentences, so do not add ‘by someone’ or ‘by them’ to a passive
sentence.
The new theatre was opened by the queen herself. (here the agent is important)
We have been invited to the tea party by them
My bike has been stolen by someone.
Note 1:
Compare these examples :
1. The gate is always closed at six. This is a passive sentence. ‘closed’ is a past participle.
2. You can’t get in. The gate is closed. Here ‘closed’ is an adjective, so this is not a passive sentence.
Note 2:
Sometimes the verb ‘to get’ is used in passive sentences instead of ‘to be’.
My watch got broken while I was playing football.
He got caught by the police driving 120 miles an hour.
The passive occurs in most tenses:
Simple Present I am always invited to his parties.
You are invited
He is invited
They are invited
Simple Past I was invited
They were invited
Present perfect I have been asked to come too.
He has been asked
We have been asked
Past perfect I had been asked
We had been asked
Future It will be changed
Past future It would be changed.
Continuous tenses (-ing forms) The road is being repaired now.
With a modal auxiliary It cannot be changed.
You may be invited too.
and some more ……..
Exercise A
In this exercise you have to read a sentence and then write another with the same meaning.
Example : The police have arrested three men. Three men have been arrested.
1. People use this road very often. This road …..
2. They cancelled all the flights because of the fog.
3. Somebody accused me of stealing the money.
The passive consists of a form of the verb ‘to be’ followed by a past participle. We do not know (or are
not interested in who) performed the action. Sometimes the person who performed the action – the so-
called agent – is mentioned (e.g. The fire was discovered by a ten year old boy), but you do not
usually find / need an agent in passive sentences, so do not add ‘by someone’ or ‘by them’ to a passive
sentence.
The new theatre was opened by the queen herself. (here the agent is important)
We have been invited to the tea party by them
My bike has been stolen by someone.
Note 1:
Compare these examples :
1. The gate is always closed at six. This is a passive sentence. ‘closed’ is a past participle.
2. You can’t get in. The gate is closed. Here ‘closed’ is an adjective, so this is not a passive sentence.
Note 2:
Sometimes the verb ‘to get’ is used in passive sentences instead of ‘to be’.
My watch got broken while I was playing football.
He got caught by the police driving 120 miles an hour.
The passive occurs in most tenses:
Simple Present I am always invited to his parties.
You are invited
He is invited
They are invited
Simple Past I was invited
They were invited
Present perfect I have been asked to come too.
He has been asked
We have been asked
Past perfect I had been asked
We had been asked
Future It will be changed
Past future It would be changed.
Continuous tenses (-ing forms) The road is being repaired now.
With a modal auxiliary It cannot be changed.
You may be invited too.
and some more ……..
Exercise A
In this exercise you have to read a sentence and then write another with the same meaning.
Example : The police have arrested three men. Three men have been arrested.
1. People use this road very often. This road …..
2. They cancelled all the flights because of the fog.
3. Somebody accused me of stealing the money.
