Passive Voice

PASSIVE VOICE

A sentence can be either in the active or passive voice. In an active sentence the subject performs the action. In a passive sentence the subject receives the action. To make an active sentence into a passive sentence, follow these steps:

1.     Place the complement of the active sentence at the beginning of the passive sentence.

2.     If there are any auxiliaries in the active sentence, place them immediately after the new subject agreeing in number with the subject.

3.     Insert the verb be after the auxiliary or auxiliaries in the same form as the main the verb in the active sentence.

4.     Place the main verb from the active sentence after the auxiliaries and be in the past participle.

5.     Place the subject of the active sentence after the verb in the passive sentence preceded by the preposition by. [this can be eliminate completely if it is not important or is understood]

Study the following order:

Simple present:

Am/is/are/was/were + verb in past participle

Present or Past Progressive:

Am/is/are/was/were + being + verb in past participle

Present or Past Perfect:

Has/have/had + been + verb in past participle

Modals:

Modal + be + verb in past participle

Modals + Perfect:

Modal + have + been + verb in past participle