English Reference-The Passive Voice
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The Passive Voice
Form:
A) The passive voice of an active tense is formed by putting the verb to be into the same tense as the active verb and adding the past participle of the active verb. The subject of the active verb becomes the ‘agent’ of the passive verb. The agent is very often not mentioned. When it is mentioned it is preceded by and placed at the end of clause:
B) Examples of present, past and perfect passive tenses:
Active: We keep the butter here.
Passive: The butter is kept here
Active: They broke the window.
Passive: The window was broken.
Active: People have seen wolves in the streets.
Passive: Wolves have been seen in the streets.
C) The passive of continuous tenses requires the present continuous forms of to be, which are not otherwise much used:
Active: They are repairing the bridge.
Passive: The bridge is being repaired.
Active: They were carrying the injured player off the field.
Passive: the injured player was being carried off the field.
Other continuous tenses are exceedingly rarely used in the passive, so that sentences such as: They have/had been repairing the road or They will/would be repairing the road are not normally put into the passive.
D) Auxiliary+infinitive combinations are made passive by using a passive infinitive:
Active: You must/should shut these doors.
Passive: These doors must/should be shut.
Active: They should/ought to have told him. ( perfect infinitive active)
Passive: he should/ought to have been told. ( perfect infinitive passive)
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