Compare these two English sentences:
Active = "The doctor gave me a prescription"
Passive = "I was given a prescription"
In the first sentence, the focus is on 'the doctor'. In the second sentence, the focus is on 'I'.
When to use the passive
To change the focus of a sentence.
In the passive sentence above, we can make the object and action ('me' and 'gave a prescription') more important than the subject ('the doctor').
If we don't know who does an action.
"My bicycle has been stolen" – I don't know who has stolen it.
If we don't want to say who did something.
"The lights were left on all night." (I don't want to say that you left the lights on.)
If it is obvious who does something.
"I was given a prescription" – I know that only doctors give prescriptions, so I don't need to add "by the doctor".
"He was arrested" I know that the police arrest people, so I don't need to add "by the police".
Forming a passive sentence in English
Firstly, you need to make the object into the new subject.
me – I
you – You
him / her – He / She
us – We
them – They
Then you make the verb passive.
Put the verb "to be" into the same tense as the verb in the active subject. For example "gave" is the past simple tense. The past simple form of "to be" is "was" or "were".
Present simple – is /are
Present continuous – is / are being
Present perfect – has / have been
Simple past – was / were
Past continuous – was / were being
Modals will, can etc – will be, can be etc.
Then add the past participle of the verb. For example "gave" – "given".
43 comments on “How to use Passives in English”
i need to know how to change has been +ing into passive voice
We don't change the present perfect continuous tense into the passive voice, as there would be too many auxiliary verbs and it would be confusing.
Yes, it's also a meaningful lesson for me. I'll be able to change the active sentences to passive forms. Thank a lot.
Which one in the two sentences is correct:
1. The amount offered by him is very less.
2. The amount has been offered by him is very less.
The amount offered by him is very low.
I have question about the word update.
Do we say "The data updates everyday. The data is updated everyday?"
"The data is updated every day."
Which is the correct sentences:
1. The document was not completed.
Correct – means that someone didn't complete the document.
2. The document was not complete.
Correct – not a passive sentence, but means that the document was unfinished.
3. The document didn't complete.
Not correct.
We liked your site. Thanks for the help.
We were helped to learn more about the passive.
so yeah
thanks… bye.
It is clear how to make passive sentence, thank you for your excellent discussion
Hello,
My question:
When can we use "get" with passive meaning instead of "be"?
Yes, you can in some tenses (present simple, past simple), although using "get" instead of "be" is more informal.
For example:
He got punished for breaking the window (informal)
He was punished for breaking the window (more formal)
He gets told off every day (informal)
He is told off every day (more formal)
Is my sentence gramatically correct? The government is believed to be considering to pass a law making it a crime to import any kind of weapon.
Abolfazl » Yes, it's correct. The only thing is that it should be "…considering passing a law…"
what is the meaning of this sentence? he is told off every day
tinks » It means that he is criticised for something every day.
Is my sentence correct?
"Please be informed that your remittance has been received on 28 August 08.
Thank you for your remittance."
Vivi » Yes, it's correct, but I would say "was received" rather than "has been received".
when do we use "have/having or got/getting" in passive?
susan » We don't use have / get in the passive form to talk about possession. We can say "have something done" or "get something done" – is that what you mean?
Thanks, you did a good job
How many tenses We can use with passive ?and give us Examples, Please!.
thank you.
We can use the passive form with most tenses (excepting some continuous tenses) and with modal forms:
Present Simple
The machine is tested every day.
Present Continuous
The machine Is being tested at the moment
Past Simple
The machine was tested yesterday
Past Continuous
The machine was being tested when the electricity went off
Present Perfect
The machine has been tested recently
Past Perfect
The machine had been tested before it was activated
Simple Future
The machine will be tested tomorrow
Future Perfect
The machine will have been tested before next week's inspection
With modal verbs
The machine should be tested more often
The machine would have been tested by trained engineers
Hi, clare, I would like to say thank you for your help and explaining. it is really usefull side that we can learn more . here is my next question: It was overwhelmed by asking me those questions because I already was frustrated. So is this sentence correct or..?
I'm not sure what you mean in your sentence. Do you mean "I was overwhelmed by him asking me those questions…"? In which case, you aren't really using the passive, but the adjective "overwhelmed".
Who can undo the knot?
=> By whom can the knot be undone?
Is this sentence correct?
Yes, it's correct, though it sounds a little strange to use a passive in this context.
Dear Clare
What is difference between 'Passive Perfect Participle' and 'Passive Perfect Gerund'?
How often is this sentence used in English sentence?
Could you explain in detail?
* I am sure of his having been punished.
Do you think this sentence is correct?
The sentence is correct, but we would be more likely to say something like "I am sure he's been punished".
Hi,I am going to ask an irrelevent question bu please answer me!Which of these two are correct?:(and if both are correct what is the difference?)
1.The movie IS INVOLVED WITH lots of impressive scenes.
2.The movie INVOLVES lots of impressive scenes.
You don't need the passive form here (1) and sentence 2 is correct.
We generally only use "is involved with" when we talk about personal involvements:
"My sister is involved with a man that we all dislike."
"My sister is involved with a man that we all dislike."
The sentence is correct, but we would be more likely to say something like "I am sure he's been punished".
In sentence, sometimes we can see the present participle have a passive meaning.
Like this
*I want the goods SENDING off by the first train.
Can we change this sentence into the object+passive infinitive sentence?
Like this
* I want the goods sending off by the first train.
= I want the goods to be sent off by the first train.
* I want a button sewing.
= I want a button to be sewed.
Do these sentences have same meanings?
Which sentence is more used?
You can use the verbs want and need in a passive form:
I want a button sewing / I want a button to be sewed
I need a button sewing / I need a button to be sewed
But when you make the context more business-like, it sounds strange to use the present participle, and I'd use the more common passive form "to be sent off".
thank you..its helped me a lot…
hi
I have doubts about '"put the verb to be in the same tense as the verb in the passive"".please explain this statement more eloborately.Could you explain ""what is to be form means""
You need to use the verb "to be" to make a passive:
The man was bitten by the snake.
The tense of the verb "to be" is the same as the tense in the active sentence:
"The snake bit the man" (bit is the simple past), so the tense of the verb "to be" in the passive must also be the simple past (= bit).
it is said that put the present perfect continuous tense into the passive voice,would be confusing because there would be too many auxiliary verbs….so if i want to say the operation has been being done…what is the passive to replace it…(that has the same meaning with this)? why? please give me the reason
The operation has been done (now finished)
The operation is being done (still in progress)
Or:
Surgeons have been doing the operation for three hours.
can you help the following sentences are correct
Your order has received and will be delivered on mentioned date.
Your order has been received and will be delivering on time.
Your order has been received and will be delivered on (write date).
Your order has been received and will be delivered on time.
Hi sorry but you should giving more examples
Feel free to add more examples here!
my question is that what is the passive of
"done is done"
I don't think there is a passive version. It's just an expression we use.
hi clare ,
i want to ask from u about has been / have been means what are the different kind of possibilities where we use these?
Has been = third person singular form of the verb "to be" in the present perfect tense:
"He has been here for three years"
Have been = all the other forms of the verb "to be" in the present perfect tense:
"We have been here since July"