Passive voice. When the actor does not act

If the subject is the actual actor, an active pledge is used.

Mr Smith closes the gate at 8 o'clock every evening.

Doormats of dozens of trees. The storm has turned a dozen trees.

When an action is performed on a subject, a passive pledge is used.

The gate was closed at 8 o'clock every day.

Dozens of trees were destroyed / A dozen trees were felled.

Education

Passive voice in English is formed with the corresponding form of the auxiliary verb to be, followed by the main verb in the form of the past participle.

Two new stores were opened this year. Two new stores were opened this year.

The room was cleaned.

Addition

When you use passive voice, you often do not mention a character or an object that takes action. This happens, as a rule, for two reasons: either we do not know who the action is performed (or do not want to say), or because it does not matter in principle.

Her boyfriend was shot in the chest.

Your application was rejected.

Such items should be carefully packed in tea chests.

If, however, when using passive voice, there is a desire to mention a character or an object that is the performer of an action, then after the verb an addition is made, which is connected through the preposition by. Such an addition is a logical subject and in English is called an agent.

He was poisoned by his girlfriend.

/ He was brought by his aunt.

If it is necessary to mention an object, for example, the instrument by which an action is performed, then the noun expressing this object, as an addition, joins the verb through the preposition with.

The circle was drawn with a stick in the mud.

He was killed by a knife.

There are restrictions on the use of verbs in passive voice in English, namely: only transitive verbs can take a passive form. Transitive verbs are able to transfer their action to a direct (non-predicative) addition. For example, you can say: "People spend money / people spend money," or "money is spent / money is spent," or "my brother lives in the city / my brother lives in the city."

A considerable part of the money was spent on beer.

The food is sold at local stores.

With those verbs that two additions can attach, you can construct two different passive voice sentences. For example, you can say: "The secretary was given the key", or "the key was given to the secretary / key was given to the secretary."

They were offered a new flat. They were informed of the possibility of inspecting the new apartment.

The book was sent to you.

Passive voice: Exercises

To get comfortable with the construction of passive voice, first you need to fix the logical difference from the active voice, and then work out the grammatical moment. Below are the exercises on passive voice that will help to fix the material.

Emphasize the passive voice

These proposals are taken from a newspaper article about stolen paintings. They contain thirteen passive voice constructions. In the first sentence, a passive pledge is already underlined, underline the others.

1. Two personages tried and sold a painting that had been stolen.

(Two people attempted to sell pictures that were stolen).

2. The painting was owned by Maimi Gillies, aged 84.

(The previously mentioned paintings were private property of 84-year-old Miami Gills citizen).

3. She said she had been introduced to one of her ancestors by the artist.

(She made a statement that these works of art were donated to one of her ancestors by the artist himself).

4. She had owned it since 1926, when it was given to her as a wedding present.

(In her property paintings were in 1926, from the moment they were presented to her as a wedding gift).

5. One of the men, Mr X, who can not be named for legal reason, pleaded guilty.

(One man whom we indirectly designate Mr. X, whose name can not be voiced, so as not to obstruct the investigation, pleaded guilty to theft).

6. He told police he was willing to sell it cheap because it was stolen.

(He made a statement to the police that he was trying to get rid of the pictures at a low price, because they were stolen).

7. Their meeting was arranged at an airport, where the money was for the art.

(Their meeting was scheduled on the airfield, where the money for the paintings had to be transferred in exchange for art, but the airfield was under the control of the police).

8. Mr x took the art to the airport and was shown the money in a case.

(Mr. X took the pictures to the airfield and was assured of the client's solvency when he was allowed to look at the money in the suitcase).

9. The buyer was then taken to see the art in a barn.

(The buyer was then escorted to the hangar in order to inspect the paintings).

10. Though mr X was arrested, Mr Henry escaped the place.

(Following the results of the operation, Mr. X was detained, but Mr. Henry managed to escape from the site of the transaction).

Restore offer

Connect the parts of the sentence, forming the desired form of passive voice.

1 Petrol prices ... (Prices for gasoline)	A ... to be won. (Can be won)
2 This jacket ... (This jacket)	B ... have been increased. (Have been increased)
3 Competition! 5000prizes ... (Competition! 5 thousand prizes ...)	C ... has been disconnected. (Was disconnected)
4 Five people ... (Five people)	D ... will be sent to candidates. (Will be sent to the candidates)
5 The telephone ... (Phone line)	E ... was made in Hong Kong. (Was made in Hong Kong)
6 It appears the phone bill ... (There is a feeling that the phone bill)	F ... were killed in the rally. (Were killed in the race)
7 Further information ... (Further Information)	G ... is not bound anywhere on this station. (Not allowed anywhere on this station)
8 Before the storm everyone ... (Before the storm everyone)	H ... had not been paid. (Has not been paid)
9 Smoking ... (Smoking)	I ... is currently being rebuilt. (Currently being restored)
10 The old town theater ... (The building of the old city theater)	Was told to stay inside their homes. (Was informed that you need to stay at home)

Now look at these proposals again. Underline the passive voice, mark the past participle and the verb form to be. Which of them refer to the past time? To the future of time?

Show parentheses

These suggestions are taken from the work instructions. Insert the verbs in brackets after the modal verb in the sentence. Opening the brackets, use the correct passive voice verb form.

1. Application forms should ................................................................. ............ by 12 December. (Return)

(Forms of applications must) .......................................................... (Before 12 December). (to return)

2. Further specific may .................................................................. from the Senior Tutor. (Obtain)

(Further particulars) .......................................................... (From the main guardian). (get)

3. Only candidates with relevant experience can ........................................... ..................... (consider)

(Only candidates with relevant experience can) ............... ................ (consider)

4. You would ........................................................................... to take part in some sports. (Expect)

(From you would) .............................. (take part in some kind of sport). (expect)

5. This post will .................................................................................... initially for three years. (Fund)

(This post will be) ........................ (at the initial stage for three years). (to finance)

6. Names of two referees should ................................................................................................ .. (give)

(The names of the two referees should be) ................................................................................................. (Give)

7. Interviews will ............................................................ ........... .................. .in early January. (Hold)

(Interviews will be) ...................................................... ... ............... .. (in early January). (spend)

8. Applications should ................................................. .. ........ .................. ..on this form only. (Make)

(Applications must) .......................................... (exclusively on this form). (fill)

9. Teachers might ........................................................................ ..accommodation in college. (Offer)

(Teachers can) ............................................. (accommodation in the college). (provide)

Conclusion

Thus, the English passive voice is analogous to the Russian passive voice, which is formed with the help of the auxiliary verb to be and participle II (the past tense). In a passive voice, only those verbs can be used that add additions to the active voice.