The Passive Sentence

1. Forming the passive

The passive sentence is formed: be + past participle.

We always keep the tense of the original active sentence.

Active: Passive:

I write the letter. The letter is written.

She brought the cake. The cake was brought.

The object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence:

Maria found a bird.

A bird was found by Maria.

2. The simple tenses

How to form the passive in the present simple and in the past simple:

a) In the present simple, the active verb becomes: is/are + past participle (of the same verb).

Active: Peters cleans the house every Friday.

Passive: The house is cleaned every Friday.

b) In the past simple, the active verb becomes: was/were + past participle (of the same verb).

Active: Peters cleaned the house last Friday.

Passive: The house was cleaned last Friday.

3. The continuous tenses

How to form the passive in the present and past continuous:

a) In the present continuous, the active verb becomes: is/are + being + past participle (of the same verb).

Active: Peters is cleaning the house.

Passive: The house is being cleaned.

b) In the past continuous, the active verb becomes: was/were + being + past participle (of the same verb).

Active: Peters was cleaning the house.

Passive: The house was being cleaned.

4. The perfect tenses

How to form the passive in the present and past perfect:

a) In the present perfect, the active verb becomes: have/has + been + past participle (of the same verb).

Active: Peters has cleaned the house.

Passive: The house has been cleaned.

b) In the past perfect, the active verb becomes: had + been + past participle (of the same verb).

Active: Peters had cleaned the house.

Passive: The house had been cleaned.

5. The passive with modals

How to form the passive with modal verbs: modal verb + be + past participle

Active: Peters will clean the house.

Passive: The house will be cleaned.

Active: Joe can write the memo.

Passive: The memo can be written.

Active: Joe might bring the sandwiches.

Passive: The sandwiches might be brought.

6. The agent

Usually we omit the subject of the active sentence from the passive sentence. However, if it is important for the meaning of the sentence, we can include the agent at the end of the passive sentence:

by+ who did the action

with + the instrument used to do the action

Dinner was served by the waiter.

This house was built in 1885 by my grandfather.

The cake was cut up with a knife.

7. The uses of the passive

We use the passive if:

• we don’t know who did the action: The motorway was built last year.
• the action is more important than who did it: The dinner has been prepared.
• it is obvious who did the action: The bank has been robbed.
• in scientific texts: Water is heated to 90 degrees.
• in reports and announcements: The new president has been elected.

8. Verbs with two objects

Some verbs can have two objects: a direct and an indirect object. Both object can become the subject of the passive sentence.

Joe gave me a book.

I was given a book by Joe.

A book was given to me by Joe.

Peter sent Sarah a letter.

Sarah was sent a letter.

A letter was sent to Sarah.