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Understanding the Passive Voice in English: Tenses and Usage

This article explores the passive voice in English, focusing on different tenses and their application. It covers the structure of passive sentences, contrasting them with active voice, and highlights when to use passive forms. Examples illustrate scenarios where the agent is unknown, the action is emphasized, or the agent is generally understood. Common contexts for using the passive voice, such as in newspapers and formal writing, are discussed. This guide is essential for mastering the passive constructions in the English language.

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Understanding the Passive Voice in English: Tenses and Usage

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  1. Passive Voice By teacher Silvino Sieben 2ª série EM

  2. You are being replaced by a machine. Friday, 26 September 2014 Page 2

  3. Form • Different tenses of be (is, was, is being, have been, …) + past participle of the main verb. • This article was written by a well-known journalist. Friday, 26 September 2014 Page 3

  4. Form * PP = Past participle • English is spoken here. • The house is being painted. • I wasn’t invited, but I went. • I felt I was being watched. • Has Mary been told? Friday, 26 September 2014 Page 4

  5. Form * PP = Past participle • I knew I had been forgotten. • You’ll be told soon. • Who’s going to be invited? • It may be destroyed this week. Friday, 26 September 2014 Page 5

  6. Structure Passive: This church was built in 1275. Active: They built this church in 1275. Subject Object Friday, 26 September 2014 Page 6

  7. Structure Passive: German is spoken in Germany. Active: Germans speak German. Subject Object Friday, 26 September 2014 Page 7

  8. Use • We use the passive voice: • when the agent is unknown; • My car was stolen last night. (I don’t know who stole my car) • to emphasise the action rather than the agent; • The factory was painted during the war. (We are interested in the factory.) • when the agent is generally understood; • The thief was arrested (by the police). • When we don’t want to say who the agent is/was. • A mistake was made. (Active voice: I made a mistake.) Friday, 26 September 2014 Page 8

  9. Use • The passive voice is usually used in: • Newspapers (/ news); • Formal notices; • Scientific or technical writing. Friday, 26 September 2014 Page 9

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