Practise these short passives —
|
Active Passive |
|||
|
keeps |
v5 |
is kept |
is+v3 |
|
is keeping |
is+v4 |
is being kept |
is +being+v3 |
|
kept |
v2 |
was kept |
was+v3 |
|
was keeping |
was+v4 |
was being kept |
was+ being +v3 |
|
have kept |
have+v3 |
have been kept |
have+ been +v3 |
|
had kept |
had + v3 |
had been kept |
had + been+ v3 |
|
will keep |
will +v1 |
will be kept |
will +be +v3 |
|
would keep |
would +v1 |
would be kept |
would + be + v3 |
|
would have kept |
would + have +v3 |
would have been kept |
would + have + been +v3 |
|
to keep |
to+v1 |
to be kept |
to+ be+ v3 |
|
to have kept |
to+ have+ v3 |
to have been kept |
to +have +been+v3 |
|
keeping |
v4 |
being kept |
being+v3 |
The students should have prior knowledge
of the following things before they start to change
the active sentences into passive.
a.
Types of sentences
|
Declarative |
My
uncle bought the house. |
|
Negative |
My
uncle did not buy the house. |
|
Interrogative |
Did
my uncle buy the house? |
|
Imperative |
Buy
the house. |
|
Optative |
May
you buy the house! |
b.
Types of tenses and aspects
|
Simple present |
The
ghost occupies the house. |
|
Present cont. |
The
ghost is occupying the house. |
|
Present perfect |
The
ghost has occupied the house. |
|
Simple past |
The
ghost occupied the house. |
|
Past continuous |
The
ghost was occupying the house. |
|
Past perfect |
The
ghost had occupied the house. |
|
Simple future |
The
ghost will occupy the house. |
|
Future perfect |
The
ghost will have occupied the house. |
|
Going to future |
The
ghost is going to occupy the house. |
c.
Verb forms
|
V1 |
play,
haunt, frighten, invite, go, visit |
|
V2 |
played,
haunted, frightened, invited, went, visited |
|
V3 |
played,
haunted, frightened, invited, gone, visited |
|
V4 |
playing,
haunting, frightening., inviting, going, visiting |
|
V5 |
plays,
haunts, frightens, invites, goes, visits |
d.
Subject
pronouns
e.
Object pronouns
Structure
Grammar Focus: Changes in Passive Voice
1. Subject
and object change
We need to
consider the following rules while changing the position of the subject and
object:
Active:
I convinced him.
Passive: He was
convinced by me. Active: He gifted me a good camera.
Passive: A
good camera was gifted to me by him.
2.
Pronoun Change
|
Active voice Passive voice |
|
|
I |
me |
|
we |
us |
|
you |
you |
|
he |
him |
|
she |
her |
|
it |
it |
|
they |
them |
|
who |
by whom |
Grammar Focus: Passive of Different Tenses
Go through the following chart to know about the use of
auxiliary verbs in different tenses:
|
Tense |
Active |
Passive |
||
|
Simple Present |
I
write a letter. |
S
+ v1/v5 +obj |
A letter is written by me. |
Obj +is/am/are + v3 + by + sub |
|
I do not write a letter. |
S + do/does +not+ v1+obj |
A letter is not written by me. |
Obj +is/am/are +
not + v3 + by + sub |
|
|
Do I write a
letter? |
Do /Does +sub +v1 + obj+? |
Is a letter written by me? |
Is/Am/Are + obj +
v3 + by + sub |
|
|
Present Contionus Tense |
I
am writing a letter. |
S + is/am/are + v4 +obj |
A letter is
being written by me. |
O b j + i s / a m / a r e + being+ v3 + by + sub |
|
I
am not writing a letter. |
S + is/am/are + not + v4 + obj |
A letter is not being written by me. |
Obj +is/am/are +
not +being +v3 +by+ sub |
|
|
Am
I writing a letter? |
Is/Am/Are + sub +
v4 + obj |
Is a letter
being written by me? |
Is/Am/Are + obj + being + v3 + by +sub |
|
|
Present Perfect Tence |
I have
written a letter. |
S +
have/has+v3+ obj |
A letter has been written by me. |
Obj+have/has + been + v3 + by + sub |
|
I have not written
a letter. |
S + have/has + not + v3 + obj |
A letter has not
been written by me. |
Obj +have/has + not +been + v3+ by +sub |
|
|
Have I
written a letter? |
Have/Has + sub +
v3+ obj |
Has a letter been written by me? |
Have/Has + obj + been + v3+by+ sub |
|
|
Simple Past Tense |
I
wrote a letter. |
S
+ v2 + obj |
A letter was
written by me. |
Obj + was/were + v3
+ by + sub |
|
I did not write a
letter. |
S + didn't + v1 + obj |
A letter was not written by me. |
Obj + was/were + not +being
+ v3 +by + sub |
|
|
Did I write a
letter? |
Did
+ sub +v1 + obj |
Was a letter
written by me? |
Was/were + obj + v3
+ by + sub |
|
|
Past
Continious Tense |
I was writing a
letter. |
S+was/were + v4+ obj |
A letter was being
written by me. |
Obj+was/were +being+v3+by+sub |
||||
|
I was not writing a
letter. |
S + was/were + not + v4 + obj |
A letter was not
being written by me. |
Obj + was/were + not + being + v3 + sub |
|||||
|
Was I letter? |
writing |
a |
Was/Were + sub + v4 + obj |
Was a letter being
written by me? |
Was/Were + obj + being + v3 + by + sub |
|||
|
Past Perfect
Tense |
I had written a
letter. |
S + had + v3 + obj |
A letter had been
written by me. |
Obj + had + been + v3 + by + sub |
||||
|
I had not written a
letter. |
S + had + not + v3 + obj |
A letter had not been written by me. |
Obj + had + not + been + v3 + by + sub |
|||||
|
Had I written a
letter? |
Had + sub + v3 +
obj |
Had a letter been
written by me? |
Had + obj + been + v3 + by + sub |
|||||
|
Simple Future Tense |
I will letter. |
write |
a |
S + will/shall + v1 + obj |
A letter will written
by me. |
be |
Obj + will/shall
be+v3 + by + sub |
+ |
|
I will not write a
letter. |
S + will/shall +not + v1 + obj |
A letter will not
be written by me. |
Obj + will/shall + not + be + v3 + by +
sub |
|||||
|
Will I letter? |
write |
a |
Will/Shall + sub +
v1 + obj |
Will a letter
written by me? |
be |
Will/Shall + obj + be + v3 + by + sub |
||
|
Future
Perfect Tense |
I will have
written a letter. |
S + will/shall + have + v3 + obj |
A letter will have
been written by me. |
Obj+ will/shall +have + been +
v3 + by + sub |
||||
|
I will not have
written a letter. |
Sub+will/shall + not + have + v3 +obj |
A letter will not have been written by
me. |
Obj+will/shall+not+
have+been+v3+by+ sub |
|||||
|
Will I have
written a letter? |
Will/Shall + sub + have + v3 + obj |
Will a letter have
been written by me? |
Will/Shall+obj+
have + been + v3 + by + sub |
|||||
|
Going to Future
Tense |
I am going to write a letter. |
S
+ is/am/are/was/ were + going to + v1 + obj |
A letter is going to be written by me. |
Obj+
is/am/are/was/ were + going to +
be + v3 + by + sub |
||||
|
I am not going to write a letter. |
S
+ is/am/are/was/ were + not + going to + v1 + obj |
A letter is not going to be written by me. |
Obj+ is/am/are/was/ were + not + going to + be + v3 + by + sub |
|||||
|
Am I going to write a letter? |
Is/Am/Are/Was/ Were + sub+ going
to + v1 + obj |
Is a letter going to be written by me? |
Is/Am/Are/Was/Were + obj + going to + be + v3 + by + sub |
|||||
Grammar Focus:
Passive of Different Sentences
1. Passive
of Modals
|
Active Passive |
|
|
(S + modal +
v1 + obj) (S
+ modal +not+ v1 + obj) (Aux
+ s + v1 + obj +?) |
(Obj + modal + be + v3+by + sub) (Obj + modal +not+ be
+ v3+by + sub) (Aux + obj + be +
v3+by + sub +?) |
|
She can play the guitar.
She cannot play the guitar. Can
she play the guitar? |
The guitar can be played by her. The guitar cannot be played by her. Can the guitar be played by her? |
|
I may buy the
laptop. I may not buy the laptop. May I buy the laptop? |
The laptop may be
bought by me. The laptop may not be bought by me. May the laptop be bought by me? |
|
Gems might play
chess. Gems might not play chess. Might Gems play chess? |
Chess might be
played by Gems. Chess might not be played Gems. Might chess be played by
Gems? |
|
We should study all
lessons. We should not study all lessons. Should we study all lessons? |
All lessons should
be studied by us. All lessons should not be studied by us. Should all lessons be studied by us? |
|
I must learn these
strategies. I must not learn these strategies. Must I learnt these
strategies? |
These strategies must be learnt by me. These strategies
must not be learned by me. Must these strategies be learnt by me? |
|
She may have
availed the chance. She may not have availed the chance. May she have availed the chance? |
The chance may have
been availed by her. The chance
may not have been availed by her. May the chance be availed by her? |
|
He might have eaten
an apple. He might not have eaten an apple. Might he have eaten an apple? |
An apple might have
been eaten by him. An apple might not have been eaten by
him. Might an apple have been eaten by him? |
|
You
should have studied the Geeta. You should not have studied the Geeta. Should you have studied the Geeta? |
The Geeta should
have been studied by you. The Geeta should not have been studied by you. Should the Geeta have been
studied by you? |
|
She must have
started a job. She must not have started a
job. Must she have started a job? |
A job must have
been started by her. A job must not have been started by her. Must a job have been started by her? |
|
You
ought to have helped them. You ought not to have helped them. Ought you to have helped them? |
They ought to have
been helped by you. They ought not to have been helped by you. Ought they to
have been helped by you? |
2. Passive
of WH Questions
|
Active Passive |
|
|
WH word + aux + sub + verb + obj +? |
WH word + aux +obj+ be/been + v3 +by+ s +? |
|
Where have you bought
this jacket? |
Where has this jacket
been bought by you? |
|
When will Rita return the
book? |
When will the book be
returned by Rita? |
|
How did he send you the
message? |
How were you sent the
message by him? |
|
Whom did you give my
book? |
Who was given my book by
you? |
|
Whom are you looking for? |
Who is/are being looked
for by you? |
|
What are you doing? |
What is being done by
you? |
|
What did Rita sell
you? |
What was sold to
you by Rita? |
|
What have you seen? |
What has been seen
by you? |
|
Who + verb + Obj +? |
By whom + aux/be verb + sub + v3 +? |
|
Who broke the chair? |
By whom the chair
was broken? Who/whom was the chair broken by? |
|
Who can perform it? |
By whom can it be
performed? Who/whom can it be performed by? |
3.
Passive of
Imperatives
|
Active Passive |
|
|
(V+ obj)-order/command |
(Let + obj + be + v3) |
|
Open the door. |
Let the door be opened. |
|
Complete the work. |
Let the work be
completed. |
|
Turn off the television. |
Let the television be
turned off. |
|
Learn your lesson. |
Let your lesson be
learnt. |
|
Kill the snake. |
Let the snake be killed. |
|
Punish him. |
Let him be punished. |
|
Speak the truth. |
Let the truth be spoken. |
|
Revise your book. |
Let your book be revised. |
|
Clean your room. |
Let your room be cleaned. |
|
(Let + obj1 + verb + obj2)-double object |
(Let + obj2 + be + v3 + by + obj1) |
|
Let me write a poem. |
Let a poem be written by
me. |
|
Let him sing a song. |
Let a song be sung by
him. |
|
Let Sabina perform a
drama. |
Let a drama be performed
by Sabina. |
|
Let us play a game. |
Let a game be played by
us. |
|
(Verb + obj)-advice/suggestion |
(Obj + should/must + be + v3) |
|
Help the helpless. |
The helpless should/must
be helped. |
|
Obey your elders. |
Your elders should/must
be obeyed. |
|
Drink plenty of water. |
Plenty of water
should/must be drunk. |
|
Do regular exercise. |
Regular exercise
should/must be done. |
|
(please, kindly, do+ verb +obj)-request |
You are requested to + verb +obj |
|
Kindly help me. |
You are requested to help
me. |
|
Please don't smoke. |
You are requested not to
smoke. |
|
Do help them. |
You are requested to help
them. |
4.
Passive of have to/has to/had to
|
Active Passive |
|
|
(S + have to/has to/had to + v1 + obj) |
(Obj + have
to/has to/had to + be + v3 + by +
sub) |
|
I have to finish
the work. |
The work has to be
finished by me. |
|
Ram has to study
English. |
English has to be
studied by Ram. |
|
They had to cook
rice. |
Rice had to be
cooked by them. |
Verbs not used in the Passive voice
Verbs referring to states of being like have, belong,
be, seem, resemble, etc. do not usually
have passive constructions. In that case we either choose another verb or avoid
using the passive.
Active:
Then we had lunch.
Passive:
Then lunch was eaten. (NOT Then lunch was
had.)
Transitive and
Intransitive verb
A verb can be either transitive or
intransitive. A transitive verb needs an object in sentence to give complete
meaning while an intransitive verb does need an object in sentence to give
complete meaning. For example,
Transitive verb: send
Active:
He sent a letter.
Passive:
A letter was sent by him.
Here,
send is a transitive verb and it needs an object i.e. letter to express full meaning.
Intransitive Verb: laugh,
happen, die, agree, look, seem, arrive, fall, occur,
sleep, be, go, rain, stay, become, recover, walk, come, live, remain, work, reach, sit, etc.
Active:
He laughs.
Passive:
He is laughed.
Active: The accident
happened at 2 o’clock. Passive: The accident was happened at 2 o’clock. Active: My grandfather died ten years ago.
Passive:
My grandfather was died ten years ago.
Here, laugh, happen and die are
intransitive verbs and they do not need object for expressing
full meaning.
Grammar Focus:
Other Passive Constructions
1.
Passive Combination with Preposition
|
Active Passive |
|
|
Sub + verb + preposition + obj |
Obj + be + v3 + preposition + sub |
|
We must go into this
matter. |
This matter must be gone
into. |
|
I knocked at the door. |
The door was knocked at. |
|
They were looking for
some useful books. |
Some useful books were
being looked for. |
|
You must call to her. |
She must be called to. |
|
We must write to him. |
He must be written to. |
Some
verbs take other prepositions instead of `By’
Know,
oblige, marry-to
Deal, please,
displease, satisfy, dissatisfy, fill, cover-with Interest, consist, envelope,
absorb, contain-in
Surprise,
astonish, alarm, amaze, frighten, shock-at
Bury-in/under
|
Active Passive |
|
|
Ram pleases me. |
I am pleased with
Ram. |
|
The poem interested
me. |
I was interested in
the poem. |
|
His death shocked
me. |
I was shocked at
his death. |
|
I know him. |
He is known to me. |
|
His death surprised
them. |
They were surprised
at his death. |
|
That bottle
contains milk. |
Milk is contained
in that bottle. |
1. Get
Passive
|
Active Passive |
|
|
She helps me. |
I get helped by her. |
|
Ram married Sita. |
Ram got married to Sita. |
2. Causative Verb
|
Active Passive |
|
|
Buna makes Asana cry. |
Asana is made to cry. |
|
Arjun made me sing a
song. |
I was made to sing a
song. |
|
He made us dance. |
We were made to dance. |
|
She makes us recite a
poem. |
We are made to recite a
poem. |
3. Passive
of Infinitives and Gerund
|
Active Passive |
|
|
S + like/dislike/love/hate + noun + v + ing |
S + like/dislike/love/hate + being + v3 |
|
We like people praising
us. |
We like being praised. |
|
I don't like people
laughing at me. |
I don't like being
laughed at. |
|
I hate people looking at
me. |
I hate being looked at. |
|
Sub + wish/want/love/like+obj1+ to + v1+ obj2 |
Sub+wish/want/love/like+obj2+tobe+V3+ by + obj1 |
|
I want Karma to write a
poem. |
I want a poem to be
written by Karma. |
|
Sub +
decide, think, urge, propose, determine, agree+ to +V1+obj |
Sub + decide,
think, urge, propose, determine, agree + that +obj+should+be+V3 |
|
She
decided to buy a computer. |
She decided that a computer should be bought. |
4. Passive
Combination with Manner Adverbs
|
Active Passive |
|
|
S + verb + obj + manner adv |
S + be verb + manner adv + v3 |
|
They do the work very
well. |
The work is very well
done by them. |
|
He was doing the
task slowly. |
The task was being
slowly done by him. |
|
My son always
speaks to everyone politely. |
Everyone is always politely spoken by my son. |
5.
Reflexive
Passive
Active: Don’t let
people see you. Passive: Don’t let yourself be seen. Verb+ Yourself
Active:
Prepare yourself for the race.
Passive:
Be prepared yourself for the race.
6. Impersonal Passive
If we
don’t want to identify a specific person as agent, but prefer not to use a
passive form, we can use an impersonal subject. They, we, people, etc. are
impersonal subjects.
|
Active Passive |
|
|
They said he was a spy. |
It was said that he
was a spy. He was said to be a spy. |
|
We
think he is the captain. |
It is thought that
he is the captain. He is thought be the captain. |
|
We believe that the sun is a star. |
It is believed that the sun is a star. The sun is believed to be a star. |
|
People believe that he hid in a cave. |
It is believed that
he hid in a cave. He is believed to have hid in a cave. |
|
They say that
English is an international language. |
It is said that
English is an international language. English is said to be an international
language. |
|
People say that she is a wise person. |
She is said to be a wise person. It is said that she is a wise person. |
|
People believed
that she was an expert of birds. |
She was believed to
have been an expert of birds. It was believed that she was an expert of
birds. |
7.
Miscellaneous Sentences
|
Active Passive |
|
|
I didn't write anything. |
Nothing was written by
me. |
|
You can believe in him. |
He can be believed in by
you. |
|
Honey tastes best. |
Honey is best when it is
tasted. |
|
A bus knocked down him. |
He was knocked down by a
bus. |
Grammar Focus: Common Errors
|
Sentences Incorrect Correct |
||
|
He
knows me. |
|
I
am known to him. |
|
He pleases me. |
|
I am pleased with him. |
|
His death shocks me. |
|
I am shocked at his
death. |
|
The poem interested me. |
|
I was interested in
the poem. |
|
The result
surprises me. |
|
I am surprised at
the result. |
|
The pot contains
polluted water. |
|
Polluted water is
contained in the pot. |
|
Ryan satisfies me. |
|
I am satisfied with
Ryan. |
|
Highgate cemetery
buried him. |
|
He was buried in
Highgate cemetery. |
|
The dark slowly
accustomed my eyes. |
|
My eyes were slowly accustomed to the dark. |
|
Arjun married Aastha. |
|
Aastha was married to Arjun. |
A.
Change these sentences into passive voice.
They’re building a new house. They
cannot put those things here. We must
respect to him. They may deliver the goods tomorrow.
Who are you looking
for? He has to do it immediately.
They are sending the material today. We must help him.
Do I write a poem? He
cannot finish this today.
They are considering that question now. The police may hold him for several days.
We selected captain. John brings the mail every day.
She is typing that letter now. They have put the chairs in the room.
Who broke the chair? They are sending the merchandise today.
Are you writing an essay? He sent the e-mail last week.
Sing a song. Wash your clothes.
Buy a jacket. I prepare tea.
He buys a coat. She cleans her
nose.
They have made a house. We have
cooked rice.
Ram sir has
written a love letter. Help the beggar.
Respect your grandparents. Obey your sister.
The cat drank milk. The dog is eating bone.
She has dyed her hair. We will find a room.
Shake your
hand. Switch on the light.
B.
Change
these sentences into passive voice.
They were discussing the question. They
have to deliver the books today. We shall
hear his voice no more. We must find him immediately.
They are sending troops there today. They
are teaching the students.
Have you invited him in
the party? He took the money last Monday evening.
Who can perform it? He
has called me today.
They are cleaning the classroom. She
ate the cake this morning.
He is finishing the work now. Mr. Smith
wrote the book last summer. We should improve our handwriting. She has just taken
the newspaper.
They were cleaning the office this
morning.
He teaches that class on Friday.
Did you call the police? They
will leave the tickets for you.
They are examining him now. Somebody has taken my book.
Who did you call yesterday? The wind blew the smoke away soon.
We are using this room. She broke the
plate on purpose.
Were you calling him? They
will bring the boy tomorrow. They
are defending the city well. They
had finished the work by noon. We were
playing basketball. Mrs. Jackson saw the accident.
They are holding the meeting
today. They have found the child at last.
Who finished the given task? You were rushing about in the garden. Had
she rented a room for a week? Her
books were lying about on the floor. They
are transferring him to another class. He looked about the room.
We
can finish this right away. We
were flying above the clouds.
Will you perform this drama? The
accident brought his career to an end.
They may send the fax tomorrow. The
divorce became absolute last week.
Who painted this house? He made it absolutely clear.
They wrote a book. We grew fruits and vegetables.
We must
lose no time. She made her
wishes abundantly clear.
Will you have visited
the temple? The car accelerated to overtake me. You
can use this room for the lesson. They
gave me a red book.
C.
Change
these sentences into passive voice.
People will forget it
in a few days. Do it now.
People speak English all over the world. Copy these questions. They fought a big battle. What do you do?
They made this gun by hand. Does
he sing a song? She has put all the chairs in the next room. Shake your fingers. He broke
his leg in an accident. Divide
it among them. They will send the book next week. Clean
this table.
A car ran over our dog a short while ago. Let him complete the project. They left the
wounded soldiers behind. Never
let him cut down the trees. Respect
the teacher. Deliver
your lecture fluently.
Riva will not apply for
the visa. Are you inviting me to the party? Rocha wasn’t
writing a story. They have to saw a piece of log. Sangria will bring a glass of water. Let
him explain the whole thing first.
The boy has done his homework. Let
me organize a party.
He is considering
several new proposals. Paint the wall.
The poachers are killing the wild animals. Cut this apple into three pieces. The tornado destroyed thirty houses. Write an essay.
Was
Raj reading
a book? Begin the assembly.
Were you typing a letter? Throw
this waste in dustbin.
They have built a new bridge. They
promise us higher wages.
What is she doing? They
should check the details.
When do you return the book? He
accepted all the changes we proposed.
Will Susan eat an apple? He
will do the work this afternoon.
You
have to buy
a raincoat. We have
to write these exercises at home.
Write an interesting story. He should send this message right away.
Will you have visited
the temple? The car accelerated to overtake me. You
can use this room for the lesson. They
gave me a red book.
D.
Change
these sentences into active voice.
A story is being written
by him. This book was written by Mr. Regmi.
This must be checked twice by you. The lesson will will have been taught by me.
It can be done by him. The
book has been returned by Rajdeep.
It has to be sent right away by you. The dish was broken
by the maid.
This room can be used by us. The
cries of the child were heard by us. The money has been sent by them The money had been stolen by the boy . This book was published in 1945 by him. America was discovered by Columbus. Tea is being prepared by Hema. The house was struck by lightning.
It should be sent immediately by you. The book may be published in June by me.
It has to be done at once by me. The money has been found by Ram. The class is
taught by Dip. The city was
destroyed by bombs. The book was found by Mahesh. This
work will be completed by them.
The money was stolen by
a thief. The e-mail was sent
this morning by me. The parcel will be delivered by me. Hut had been destroyed by earthquake. The city
has been destroyed by the enemy. Your
homework will be checked by me. The lecture was attended by many people. The book will be published by them.
Our exercises are corrected by our teacher. The town will have been captured
by them.
He was struck by an automobile. The house was built in 1950.
The work had been finished by James. The books will be brought by John.
Our class has been taugh by Mina . It was discovered by me.
