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Active / Passive
Active Form
In active sentences, the
thing doing the action is the
subject of the sentence and the thing
receiving the
action is the object. Most sentences are active.
[Thing doing action] + [verb] + [thing receiving action]
Passive Form
You can use the passive form if you think that the thing
receiving the action is more important or should be
emphasized.
You
can also use the passive form if you do not know
who is doing the action or if you do not want to mention
who is doing the action.
Examples:
Active / Passive Overview
| Active | Passive | |
| Simple Present |
Once a week, Tom cleans the house. |
Once a week, the house is cleaned by Tom. |
| Present Continuous |
Right now, Sarah is writing the letter. |
Right now, the letter is being written by Sarah. |
| Simple Past |
Sam repaired the car. |
The car was repaired by Sam. |
| Past Continuous |
The salesman was helping the customer when the thief came into the store. |
The customer was being helped by the salesman when the thief came into the store. |
| Present Perfect |
Many tourists have visited that castle. |
That castle has been visited by many tourists. |
| Present Perfect Continuous |
Recently, John has been doing the work. |
Recently, the work has been being done by John. |
| Past Perfect |
George had repaired many cars before he received his mechanic's license. |
Many cars had been repaired by George before he received his mechanic's license. |
| Past Perfect Continuous |
Chef Jones had been preparing the restaurant's fantastic dinners for two years before he moved to Paris. |
The restaurant's fantastic dinners had been being prepared by Chef Jones for two years before he moved to Paris. |
| Simple Future will |
Someone will finish the work by 5:00 PM. |
The work will be finished by 5:00 PM. |
| Simple Future be going to |
Sally is going to make a beautiful dinner tonight. |
A beautiful dinner is going to be made by Sally tonight. |
| Future Continuous will |
At 8:00 PM tonight, John will be washing the dishes. |
At 8:00 PM tonight, the dishes will be being washed by John. |
| Future Continuous be going to |
At 8:00 PM tonight, John is going to be washing the dishes. |
At 8:00 PM tonight, the dishes are going to be being washed by John. |
| Future Perfect will |
They will have completed the project before the deadline. |
The project will have been completed before the deadline. |
| Future Perfect be going to |
They are going to have completed the project before the deadline. |
The project is going to have been completed before the deadline. |
| Future Perfect Continuous will |
The famous artist will have been painting the mural for over six months by the time it is finished. |
The mural will have been being painted by the famous artist for over six months by the time it is finished. |
| Future Perfect Continuous be going to |
The famous artist is going to have been painting the mural for over six months by the time it is finished . |
The mural is going to have been being painted by the famous artist for over six months by the time it is finished. |
| Used to |
Jerry used to pay the bills. |
The bills used to be paid by Jerry. |
| Would Always |
My mother would always make the pies. |
The pies would always be made by my mother. |
| Future in the Past Would |
I knew John would finish the work by 5:00 PM. |
I knew the work would be finished by 5:00 PM. |
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Exceptions
Active: I don't learn Russian.
Passive: Russian isn't learnt by me.
A: He doesn't write English.
P : English isn't written by him.
A: She didn't play basketball.
P: Basketball wasn't played by her.
A: The doctor advised her to lie in bed.
P; She was advised to lie in bed.
A; Clean the floor.
P: Let the floor be cleaned.
A: Don't punish her.
P: Don't let her be punished.
A: People say that he is sick
P: It is said that he is sick.
P: He is said to be sick.
A: People thought that Sam was silly.
P: It was thought that Sam was silly.
P: Sam was thought to have been silly.
A: It is necessary for you to answer that test.
P: That test had to be answered by you.
A: You needn't visit the doctor.
P: The doctor needn't be visited by you.
A: Who won the prize?
P: By whom was the prize won?
A' Whom did you meet?
P: Who was met by you?
A: When will you hold the conference?
P: When will the conference be held?
A: The governess looks after the kids.
P: The kids are looked after by the governess.
A: He discovered that a thief has stolen his car.
P: He discovered that his car has been stolen by a thief.
A: I didn't buy anything.
P: Nothing was bought by me.
A: None telephoned me.
