Theory - Passive Voice

Passive Voice
This verbal form is built with To Be (the part we have to conjugate) and the Past Participle
(the part that doesn’t change)
Passive Voice: TO BE + PAST PARTICIPLE -ed

-third column
The Passive Voice is used:

- When the action is more important than the person who performs the action.
Michael wrote two history books. (Michael is important.)
A lot of fruits are exported to France. (Who exports the fruit is not important.)
- When we don’t know the person who performs the action, or that person is too obvious.
Yesterday, the bank was robbed. (We don’t know who robbed the bank.)
At last, the thieves were arrested. (Obviously, they were arrested by the police)
- When there is no agent and it’s necessary to express impersonal ideas.

You are supposed to be studying for the exam. (Se supone que estés estudiando para el examen)
Smoking is not allowed here. (No está permitido fumar aquí)
He is believed to have escaped with the money (Se cree que él se ha escapado con el dinero)
Notes:
When moving from the Active Voice to the Passive Voice, it is fundamental to respect the
original tense. For example:
Active Voice They are repairing the roads. Active Present Continuous: are repairing
Passive Voice The roads are being repaired (by them) Passive Present Continuous: are being repaired
In the most frequent case of the Passive Voice, the Direct Object in the original sentence
becomes the Subject of the new one, and the Subject in the original sentence becomes the
Agent in the new one.
Tom and Mike repaired the motorbike → The motorbike was repaired by Tom and Mike
Subject Direct Object Subject Agent
However, and unlke other languages, in English the Passive Voice is also possible with the
Indirect Object in the original sentence, which becomes the new Subject.
Alexander gave his cousins the money → His cousins were given the money by Alexander
Subject Indirect Obj. Direct Obj. Subject Direct Obj. Agent
Present Simple.
Am
France exports cheese.
Are + Past Participle Cheese is exported by France.
Is
Present Continuous.
Am
They are repairing the avenue.
Are being + Past Participle The avenue is being repaired (by them)
Is
Present Perfect Simple.
Have Tom has bought the books.

been + Past Participle
Has The books have been bought by Ann.
Present Perfect Continuous. (not frequent)
Have Tom has been repairing the car.

been being + Past Participle
Has The car has been being repaired by Tom.
Past Simple.
Was Andy took the boxes.

+ Past Participle
Were The boxes were taken by Andy.
Past Continuous.
Was She was painting the house.

being + Past Participle
Were The house was being painted (by her)
Past Perfect Simple.
She had sent the mails

Had been + Past Participle The mails had been sent by her
Past Perfect Continuous. (not frequent)
She had been writing a novel.

Had been being + Past Participle The novel had been beingwritten (by her)
Going to Future.
Am
I am going to invite Susan.
Are going to be + Past Participle Susan is going to be invited by me.
Is
Future Simple.
Will be + Past Participle They will buy the tickets.

The tickets will be bought by them.
Future Continuous. (not frequent)
Will be being + Past Participle She will be sending the mails.

The mails will be being sent (by her)
Future Perfect Simple. (not frequent)
Will Have been + Past Participle They will have finished the book.
The book will have been finished.
Future Perfect Continuous. (not frequent)
He will have been repairing cars.

Will have been being + Past Participle The cars will have been being repaired (by him)
Modal Verbs.
Can They can be repaired in a minute. (by them)

Could They could be repaired (by them)
May They may be repaired (by them)
Might They might be repaired (by them)
Shall be + Past Participle They shall be repaired (by them)
Should They should be repaired (by them)
Ought to They ought to be repaired (by them)
Must They must be repaired (by them)
Have to They have to be repaired (by them)
To Infinitive.
I want you to take this box to Paris.

To Be + Past Participle I want this box to be taken to Paris (by you)
Gerund.
She loves people looking at her.

Being + Past Participle She loves being looked at (by people)

Theory - Passive Voice

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Passive Voice

Passive Voice: TO BE + PAST PARTICIPLE -ed

The Passive Voice is used:

- When there is no agent and it’s necessary to express impersonal ideas.

Present Perfect Simple.

Have Tom has bought the books.

Present Perfect Continuous. (not frequent)

Have Tom has been repairing the car.

Was Andy took the boxes.

Was She was painting the house.

She had sent the mails

Past Perfect Continuous. (not frequent)

She had been writing a novel.

Will be + Past Participle They will buy the tickets.

Future Continuous. (not frequent)

Will be being + Past Participle She will be sending the mails.

Future Perfect Simple. (not frequent)

Future Perfect Continuous. (not frequent)

He will have been repairing cars.

Can They can be repaired in a minute. (by them)

I want you to take this box to Paris.

She loves people looking at her.

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