The Passive Voice

The Passive Voice

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Passive Sentence

A passive sentence is a sentence in which the subject does not perform the action of the verb.

Passive voice structure: verb be + past participle

Form the passive voice with a form of be and the past participle of a verb.

These vases are made in Kirea.

The museum was built in the 1990's.

The Mona Lisa has been shown at the Louvre Museum since 1797.

When can we use the passive voice?

• When the performer of the action is not known.

• When the performer of the action is not important.

Use a by phrase in a passive voice sentence when it is important to identify the performer of an action.

• Pottery is made (by people) in many parts of the word. (not important)

• This bowl was found (by someone) in Costa Rica. (not important)

• This dress was designed by Donatella Versace. (important)

Change the active voice into the passive voice.

Choose the correct form.

Multiple Choice

Fili and Felix clean the school.

• Fili and Felix cleaned the school.

• The school is cleaned by Fili and Felix.

• The school are cleaned by Fili and Felix.

Multiple Choice

They produce coffee in Veracruz.

• Coffee is produced in Veracruz.

• Coffee is produce in Veracruz.

• In Veracruz they produce coffee.

Multiple Choice

Someone can take soda to the party.

• Soda can be taken to the party.

• To the party someone can be taken to the soda.

• Soda can taken to the party.

Multiple Choice

Tony eats apples during recess.

• Apples are eat during recess.

• Apples are ate during recess by Tony.

• Apples are eaten by Tony during recess.

Multiple Choice

Someone cleaned my shoes.

• My shoes were cleaned.

• My shoes by someone were cleaned.

• My shoes are being cleaned.

Multiple Choice

They rang the church bells every morning.

• The church bells every morning were rung.

• The church bells were rung every morning.

• The church bells were rang every morning.

Multiple Choice

The thief robbed the crown.

• The crown is robbed by the thief.

• The thief is robbed by the crown.

• The crown was robbed by the thief.

Multiple Choice

We use this room only for special occasions.

• This room are used only for special occasions.

• This room was use only for special occasions.

• This room is used only for special occasions.

Multiple Choice

I wash the dishes every day.

• The dishes were washed every day.

• The dishes are washed by I every day.

• The dishes are washed every day.

Multiple Choice

The doctor will check the patients.

• The patients were checked by the doctor.

• The patients will check the doctor.

• The patients will be checked by the doctor.

Multiple Choice

When do we use the passive voice?

• To describe routines

• To describe habits

• To describe actions in progress

• When the object takes the action

Choose the right answer.

Multiple Choice

The passive voice form in Present is:

• Subject + was/were + Past participle + by someone

• Subject + is/are + Past participle + by someone

• Subject + Past participle + by someone

Choose A for "active" and P for "passiva" voice.

Multiple Choice

Choose "A" for Active or "P" for Passive.

I eat an apple everyday

• A

• P

Multiple Choice

Choose "A" for Active or "P" for Passive.

The car was stolen from the parking lot.

• A

• P

Multiple Choice

Choose "A" for Active or "P" for Passive.

We bake cookies once a week.

• A

• P

Multiple Choice

Choose "A" for Active or "P" for Passive.

The workers are not paid well.

• A

• P

Practice: Change each sentence from the active to the passive voice.

Use a by phrase.

Open Ended

Leonardo da Vinci painting the Mona Lisa in the sixteenth century.

Open Ended

Brazilian photographer Sebastiao Salgado took that photograph in 2017

Open Ended

Mexican filmmaker Alfonso Cuaron directed the 2013 3D film Gravity.

Open Ended

Japanese master printmaker Katsushika Hokusai made that print over a century ago.

Open Ended

Korean fashion designer Sang A Im-Propp created these beautiful handbags.

Open Ended

Weavers have produced beautiful Persian rugs for several thousand years.