The Passive

Sample sentences

• The window was broken last night.

• Our IT system is being renewed at the moment.

• A loan can be arranged within six days.

• Interest rates were raised by 1%.

• I have been offered a new job.

• A new job has been offered to me.

We use the passive:1. When who does the action is not important.• The new design hasn’t been chosen.

2. When who does the action is clear from the situation:

• I was being asked some difficult questions at the interview.

3. When who does the action is unknown:• The window was broken last night.

• Passive can be formed ONLY with transitive verbs – those that have an OBJECT

• Someone is walking in the street.-NO OBJECT

• Somebody damaged in transit.the goods

OBJECT

ACTIVE PASSIVE

ACTIVE: Subject Object

speak .

PASSIVE:

Mexicans Spanish

is spoken in Mexico.

ACTIVE PASSIVE

Subject Object

founded .

by .

Richard Branson Virgin Records

was founded

Form:

TO BE + past participle

Steps in making an active sentences passive:

Adam Smith wrote “The Wealth of Nations”. (active)

• Find the object of the active sentence.• Put the object at the beginning of the passive sentence.• Put the verb TO BE in the tense of the main verb of the active

sentence.• Add past participle of the main verb of the active sentence• Add BY + subject of the active sentence (if necessary)

1. “The Wealth of Nations”2. “The Wealth of Nations”…3. was (because of WROTE)4. written 5. by Adam Smith.

The Wealth of Nations was written by Adam Smith. (passive)

ACTIVE PASSIVE

Subject Object

wrote .

by

“Romeo and Juliet” was writtenwas written by Shakespeare.

Shakespeare “Romeo and Juliet”

was written

ACTIVE PASSIVE

Subject Object

is shipping next

week.

next week by

The goods are being shippedare being shipped next week by our supplier.

Our supplier the goods

are being shipped

ACTIVE PASSIVE

Subject Object

will not finish by next month.

by next month.

The project won’t be finishedwon’t be finished by next month.

They the project

won’t be finished

ACTIVE PASSIVE

Subject Object

can arrange within six days.

within six days.

A loan can be arrangedcan be arranged within six days.

We a loan

can be arranged

Verbs with two objects

They promised

• give, lend, offer, promise, sell, send, take smth. to smbd.• book, buy, keep, make, prepare, save smth. for smbd.

me a better salary.

indirect object direct object

ACTIVE PASSIVE

Subject Indirect object Direct object

offered

1.

I was offeredwas offered a new job.

2.

A new job was offeredwas offered to me.

They me a new job

was offered

I was offered

meto

ACTIVE PASSIVE

Subject Indirect object Direct object

gave

1.

We were givenwere given a large order.

2.

A large order was givenwas given to us.

They us a large order

was given

We were given

usto

THE PASSIVE: USES

If we want to mention who performs the action we can use a phrase beginning with by:

• The decision was takenwas taken by the committee.• The missing file has been foundhas been found by one of

the cleaners.• The goods are being shippedare being shipped next week by

our supplier in China.

THE PASSIVE: USES

Active or passiveActive or passive: If it is important to say who performs an action, we can use the active or we can use the passive and the word byby:

• ACTIVE: Peter Franks runsruns the Marketing Department.

• PASSIVE: The Marketing Department is is run run by Peter Franks.

Both of these sentences are correct.

THE PASSIVE: USES

If we were already talking about Peter Franks, we would probably use the active:

• Peter Franks is an old colleague of mine. He works for Butterfield International, and he runsruns the Marketing Department.

If we were talking about the Marketing Department, we would probably use the passive:

• The Marketing Department is a large and very successful division that employs over 100 people. It is runis run by Peter Franks.

THE PASSIVE: USES

Systems and processesSystems and processes

The passive is often used to talk about systems and processes, because we are more concerned with the process itself than who carries it out. For example, here is a description of the wine-making process:

Wine is madeis made from the fermented juice of grapes. Grapes are pickedare picked at optimum sugar/acidity levels. After picking, the grapes are takenare taken to the winery, de-stemmed de-stemmed and crushedcrushed in a variety of presses. The juice isis then clarifiedclarified by settling or by centrifuge, yeast and sugar are are addedadded and the wine is left is left to ferment in tanks. When fermentation is is finishedfinished the wine is poured is poured into a clean tank to stabilise. It can can then be filtered be filtered and bottledbottled and leftleft to mature.

Active Passive• Thank you for your order for

Pcplus software which we received this morning. Our team is dealing with your order, and we expect that we will deliver the package to you within 10 working days. I have included our current price list as an attachment. Please note we only guarantee these prices until 31 December. Thank you for choosing soft.com.

• Thank you for your order for Pcplus software which was received this morning.

• Your order is being dealt with by our team and we expect that the package will be delivered to you within 10 working days.

• Our current price list has been included as an attachment.

• Please note that these prices are guaranteed until 31 December.

Complete each sentence with a passive verb. You may need a negative form.

1. The goods _________ (damage) in transit last night.

2. This advert _________ (see) by thousands of people every day.

3. The project _________ (finish) by the end of the month.

4. Fifty retail outlets _________ (close) over the last year.

5. All of our IT systems currently _________ (review).

6. Your order _________ (can/ship) until we receive payment.

were damaged

will not be finished

have been closed

are currently being reviewed

cannot be shipped

is seen