THEUSAGEOFPASSIVEVOICE

Passive can be used for the following reasons:

- to say what happens to the subject. This plane is very old. It was produced in 1900. Two thousand students are taught in this Academy.

- when we don’t know who does or did something. 10000£ were stolen from the bank. (Wedon’tknowwhostolethem)

- when it is not important to know who does or did something. This deck is cleaned every day. (Itdoesn’tmatterwhocleansit)

Passive sentences indicate that what happens is more important than who is responsible. Taking instruments are not allowed.

Sometimes we need to show who or what does the action of the passive verb. In this case we use ‘ by ’. This type of aircraft is bought by Air Astana company.

Many thousands passengers are flown by our Aircraft.

How can we change the sentences from active into passive?

1 The object of an active sentence becomes the subject in the passive sentence. For example,

The gas-turbine electrical system provides automatic actuation of the various circuits.

Automatic actuation of the various circuits are provided by the gas-turbine electrical system.

2 If we want to say who does what causes the action, we use by.

The airplane was constructed by the American constructers.

3 We can use ‘with’ if we want to say ‘does’.

Thedoorwerelocked by themanwithkeys.

4 After modal verbs: will/ must/ have to/ should/ may/ ought to we use be + Past

Participle structure.

You can use the instrument for cutting metall.

The instrument can be used for cutting metall.

5 When we use these verbs: offer/ ask/ pay/ show/ tell/ teach in the passive most

often we begin with the person:

We were offered the job.

6 After make, hear, see, help we use infinitive with ‘to’.

I was made to apologize.