OBJECTIVES
1. Passive voice in present and past
simple.
1
We usually use the active voice in writing
and speaking. E.g.
The girl
kicked
Someone or
something
(the agent)
does
something
(verb)
the ball.
to someone or
something
else
(recipient)
2
Here’s another example:
The rain
soaked
Someone or
something
(the agent)
does
something
(verb)
the pitch.
to someone or
something
else
(recipient)
3
In the passive voice, we change this around,
so that the recipient has something done to
it by the agent. E.g.
The ball
was kicked
Someone or
something
(recipient)
has
something
done to it
(verb)
by the girl.
by someone
or something
(the agent)
4
Let’s see that again.
The pitch
Someone or
something
(recipient)
was soaked
has
something
done to it
(verb)
by the rain.
by someone
or something
(the agent)
5
In these examples, spot the use of the
active voice and the passive voice.
The music was played by the DJ.
passive
The sun was hidden by the clouds.
passive
Delighted fans streamed onto the pitch.
active
Marie wrote the letter to the headteacher.
active
Danny was praised by the headteacher.
passive
6
Sometimes in passive sentences,
the agent is left out.
The pitch
Someone or
something
(recipient)
The agent - ‘the
was soaked rain’
by the
- israin
left
out.
has
something
done to it
(verb)
Why do you
by someone
think
that the
or something
agent
might be
(the agent)
left out in this
example?
7
Compare these sentences. One has the
agent, and the other hasn’t. Discuss the
differences.
see was
yourmurdered
car was
TheIman
damaged
last night by
by someone!
my friend
The man was
I see
your car was
murdered!
damaged last night.
Far
leave
Webetter
do not to
know
who
out
if you
didthe
theagent
murder
so
don’t
want to
be
the agent
is not
involved!
needed. It’s more
dramatic without it.
Create your own passive
sentences which would be
best without an agent.
8
The passive is generally found in more
formal kinds of texts, such as reports,
forms, evaluations, etc.
E.g. A small amount of water was added
to the beaker, while the mixture was
heated using a Bunsen-burner.
The passive is used because the person doing
the action (the agent) is not needed.
9
Sometimes the passive voice is
appropriate in a story because it is
used to describe a person being
affected by events, just like in this
passage:
In the middle of the night Sebastian was woken
by the most hideous scream. He jerked upright
and his eyes sprang open. He was even more
terrified by what he saw then.His flesh turned to
goose bumps and his very blood curdled. His body
was gripped by a paroxysm of horror.
(passage courtesy of ‘Grammar for Writing’ DfES)
10
Passive voice practice
http://www.englischhilfen.de/en/exercises/active_passi
ve/sentences_simple_past.htm
http://www.englischhilfen.de/en/complex_tes
ts/passive1/index.php
http://www.englishexerci
ses.org/makeagame/viewg
ame.asp?id=7324
11
Listening practice
http://www.examenglish.c
om/PET/pet_listening_pa
rt1.htm
http://www.examenglish.c
om/PET/pet_for_schools
_listening_part1.htm
12
http://www.examenglish.c
om/PET/pet_listening_pa
rt2.htm
http://www.examenglish.c
om/PET/pet_listening_pa
rt3.htm
13
Pronouns
http://www.englishexerci
ses.org/makeagame/viewg
ame.asp?id=4108
http://www.englishexerci
ses.org/makeagame/viewg
ame.asp?id=5153
14
Vocabulary and reading
http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_vocab.
htm
http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_readin
g1.htm
http://www.examenglish.com/PET/pet_readin
g3.htm