Active and Passive Voice

Question 1

Active sentences vs passive sentences

When A does B, we have two possible ways of talking about it: active or passive. In active sentences A is the subject (before the verb). In passive sentences B is the subject. Check the following examples:

Answer 1

Somebody cleaned the classroom yesterday. (Active)
The classroom was cleaned every day. (Passive)

Question 2

Passive voice in the different verb tenses

To make a passive verb form, we have to use be in a particular verb tense and add the past participle of the main verb after it. You can see how to use the passive voice with different tenses

Answer 2

They take the photos Present simple
The photos** are taken**
They are taking the photos Pr. continu.
The photos are being taken
They have taken the photos Pres. perfect
The photos have been taken
They took the photos Past simple
The photos were taken
They were taking the photos Past continuous
The photos were being taken
They had taken the photos Past Perfect
The photos had been taken
They will take the photos Future
The photos will be taken
They are going to take the photos Be going to
The photos are going to be taken

Question 3

Active and passive

In a passive sentence, the object of an active sentence becomes the subject. How is the passive voice?, give an example

Answer 3

In a passive voice sentence, the subject is the receiver of the action, not the doer of the action.

They take the photos in Africa. (active)
The photos are taken in Africa. (passive)

Question 4

When do we use the passive?

The passive is more formal than the active and it is more common in written language. Explain

Answer 4

We often use the passive when we don’t know, when it is obvious, or when we don’t want so say who or what is responsible for the action.

A bank was robbed yesterday. (We don’t know who robbed the bank.)
The robber was arrested last night. (It’s obvious that the police arrested the robber.)
I was told that you insulted my brother. (I don’t want to say who told me.)
Jurassic Park was filmed by Spielberg in 1993. (I’m talking about Jurassic Park and not about Spielberg

The passive voice is very common in the news and in formal writing.

Arsenal have been defeated 3-­‐0 and they are now 4th in the table.

Question 5

Passive voice + by

explain the use

Answer 5

We can use by to say who or what is responsible for the action.

The painting was bought by a very rich American.
Penicillin was invented by Alexander Fleming.

Question 6

Turn the following active sentences into passive sentences. Same tense

I’m tired of people telling me what to do. ⇒ I’m tired of

Answer 6

being told
➪ The passive gerund is: the gerund of be (being) + past participle (told).

Question 7

Turn the following active sentences into passive sentences. Same tense

Then I noticed that someone had stolen my wallet. ⇒ Then I noticed that my wallet

Answer 7

had been stolen
➪ The past perfect passive is the past perfect of be (had been) + past participle (stolen).

Question 8

The passive voice – all tenses

When I opened the cupboard, I saw that all the cookies

Answer 8

had been eaten
➪ We need the past perfect passive: had been + past participle (past perfect of be + past participle).

Question 9

The passive voice – all tenses

He —— about the decision and got angry.

Answer 9

hadn’t been told
➪ We need the past perfect passive: had been + past participle (past perfect of be + past participle).

Question 10

The passive voice – all tenses

When we arrived the car _______.

Answer 10

had disappeared
This sentence is active because the subject (the car) is the doer and not the receiver of the action (disappear)

Question 11

The passive voice – all tenses

The school _______ accommodation for the students.

Answer 11

doesn’t normally provide
This sentence is active because the subject (the school) is the doer of the action (provide).

Question 12

The passive voice – all tenses

I don’t like — (tell) what to do.

Answer 12

being told|to be told
➪ After the verb like, we use -ing or to infinitive.
➪ We form the passive gerund with being + past participle (the gerund of be + past participle).
➪ We form the passive to infinitive with to be + past participle (the infinitive of be + past participle)

Question 13

The passive voice – all tenses

If she hadn’t insulted the police officer, she — (arrest).

Answer 13

have been arrested
➪ In this sentence there is a third conditional form in the passive voice.
➪ We need a perfect modal verb with the verb be + past participle: would have been + fired.

Question 14

The passive voice – all tenses

Last night’s fire might — (cause) by lightning.

Answer 14

have been caused
➪ This is a past modal verb of deduction in the passive voice.
➪ We need a perfect modal verb with the verb be + past participle: might have been + caused.

Question 15

The passive voice – all tenses

The suspect was questioned Wrong (question) by the police at the moment.

Answer 15

is being questioned
➪ We need the present continuous passive: am/is/are being + past participle (present continuous of be + past participle).

Question 16

passive

It is known that the internet has a negative impact on social interaction.
The internet ———- a negative impact on social interaction.

Answer 16

We can use the passive form of reporting verbs (argue, believe, claim, prove, report, say, etc.) to give information while we distance ourselves from the source of this information.
➪ We can use two different structures with the passive form of reporting verbs:
It + passive reporting verb (is known) + that …
Subject (The internet) + passive reporting verb (is known) + to + infinitive (have) …

Question 17

It is believed that vaping is a safer option than smoking.
Vaping ——–a safer option than smoking.

Answer 17

Correct answer: is believed to be
➪ We can use the passive form of reporting verbs (argue, believe, claim, prove, report, say, etc.) to give information while we distance ourselves from the source of this information.
➪ We can use two different structures with the passive form of reporting verbs:
It + passive reporting verb (is believed) + that …
Subject (Vaping) + passive reporting verb (is believed) + to + infinitive (be) …

Question 18

It has been proven that living in a city has negative effects on people’s health.
Living in a city —– negative effects on people’s health.

Answer 18

Correct answer: has been proven to have
➪ We can use the passive form of reporting verbs (argue, believe, claim, prove, report, say, etc.) to give information while we distance ourselves from the source of this information.
➪ We can use two different structures with the passive form of reporting verbs:
It + passive reporting verb (has been proven) + that …
Subject (Living in a city) + passive reporting verb (has been proven) + to + infinitive (have) …

Question 19

Some people argue that AI poses a threat to society.
AI ——— a thread to society.

Answer 19

Correct answer: is argued to pose
➪ We can use the passive form of reporting verbs (argue, believe, claim, prove, report, say, etc.) to give information while we distance ourselves from the source of this information.
➪ We can use two different structures with the passive form of reporting verbs:
It + passive reporting verb (is argued) + that …
Subject (AI) + passive reporting verb (is argued) + to + infinitive (pose) …

Question 20

Some people have claimed that the death penalty serves as a just punishment for the most heinous crimes.
It [no answer] Wrong that the death penalty serves as a just punishment for the most heinous crimes.

Answer 20

Correct answer: has been claimed
➪ We can use the passive form of reporting verbs (argue, believe, claim, prove, report, say, etc.) to give information while we distance ourselves from the source of this information.
➪ We can use two different structures with the passive form of reporting verbs:
It + passive reporting verb (has been claimed) + that …
Subject (The death penalty) + passive reporting verb (has been claimed) + to + infinitive (serve) …

Question 21

It is known that exercise is the key to a good health.
Exercise [no answer] Wrong the key to a good health.

Answer 21

Correct answer: is known to be
➪ We can use the passive form of reporting verbs (argue, believe, claim, prove, report, say, etc.) to give information while we distance ourselves from the source of this information.
➪ We can use two different structures with the passive form of reporting verbs:
It + passive reporting verb (is known) + that …
Subject (Exercise) + passive reporting verb (is known) + to + infinitive (be) …

Question 22

It is said that being a parent is the most difficult job in the world.
Being a parent — the most difficult job in the world.

Answer 22

Correct answer: is said to be
➪ We can use the passive form of reporting verbs (argue, believe, claim, prove, report, say, etc.) to give information while we distance ourselves from the source of this information.
➪ We can use two different structures with the passive form of reporting verbs:
It + passive reporting verb (is said) + that …
Subject (Being a parent) + passive reporting verb (is said) + to + infinitive (be) …

Question 23

Some people believe that smartphones have negative effects on children.
It is believed that smartphones have negative effects on children.

Answer 23

We can use the passive form of reporting verbs (argue, believe, claim, prove, report, say, etc.) to give information while we distance ourselves from the source of this information.
➪ We can use two different structures with the passive form of reporting verbs:
It + passive reporting verb (is believed) + that …
Subject (Smartphones) + passive reporting verb (are believed) + to + infinitive (have) …