Passive voice

the action) is unknown, unimportant or obvious from the context.

This church was built in 1995. (unimportant agent)

He has been arrested. (obviously be the police)

Jane was called.
(we don’t know who called)

used:

The car hasn’t been cleaned. (more polite)

You haven’t cleaned the car. (less polite)

in processes, instructions, events, reports, headlines, news items, and advertisements.

The Passive is used:

30 people were killed in the earthquake.

Taking pictures is not allowed.
(written notice)

Bread is baked in an oven for 45 minutes.
(process)

library will be opened by the Queen.

The Pyramids were built by the ancient Egyptians.

drunk.

I will drink tea.

Tea will be drunk.

to be + V3

Simple

be + being+ V3

Continuous

Present Continuous

Future Continuous

I am drinking tea.

I will be drinking tea.

have + been+ V3

Perfect

Present Perfect

Future Perfect

I have drunk tea.

I will have drunk tea.

Tea will have been drunk.

be done on time.

Would

The tickets would be sold there if possible.

Might

It might be finished by next week.

Must

Employees must be paid on the last day of the month.

modal + be + V3

Modals

to repair the car.

The letters have to be delivered.

The car will have to be repaired.

Perfect Infinitive

They ought to have repaired the car.

The car ought to have been repaired.

Gerund

He likes people admiring his new car.

He likes his new car being admired.

He likes people serving his dinner.

He likes his dinner being served.

Perfect Gerund

Having repaired the car, …

The car, having been repaired, …

Having served dinner, …

Dinner, having been served, …

an object).

They built that castle in 1600. That castle was built in 1600.

In colloquial English get can be used instead of be to express something happening by accident.

She got sunburnt last week. (more than “She was sunburnt last week.”)

the subject in the new sentence. The active verb changes into a passive form and the subject of the active verb becomes the agent. The agent is introduced with by it is omitted.

by Picasso

1.

2.

1.

2.

to) we use be + past participle.

the passive sentence with the person.

I sent her some roses.

She was sent some roses.

Some roses were sent to her.

more usual

less usual

the passive only if it adds information. When the agent is unknown, unimportant or obvious it is omitted. Agents such as people (in general), they, somebody etc. are omitted.

Bell invented the telephone.

The telephone was invented by Bell.

(The agent is not omitted because it adds information.)

Somebody murdered him.

He was murdered (by somebody)

(Unknown agent is omitted.)

The police arrested him.

He was arrested (by the police)

(Obvious agent is omitted.)

We use with+instrument or material to say what instrument or material the agent used.

He was knocked down by a lorry

The door was locked by a man with a key.

The cake was made with flour, sugar and eggs.

(The lorry did the action.)

(The key is the instrument the agent used.)

(Flour, sugar and eggs are the materials the agent used.)

or have been+past participle.

They may close down the supermarket.

The supermarket may be closed down.

They may have reported the bank robbery.

The bank robbery may have been reported.

passive.

She made me apologise.

I was made to apologise.

They helped him tidy the garage

He was helped to tidy the garage.

can be used in the following passive patterns:

It + passive + that-clause
(impersonal construction)

Subject (person) + passive + to-infinitive (personal construction)

It is said that she is rich

She is said to be rich.