Grammar Focus

Grammar Focus: The Passive Voice

EXAMPLES	EXPLANATIONS
Be                     Past Participle The jurors   are                    chosen from lists. My sister     was                   selected to be on a jury. The jurors   will be              paid for jury duty.	The passive voice uses a form of be  (any tense) + the past participle.
Compare Active (A) and Passive (P) : (A) Ms. Smith paid her employees at the end of the week. (P) Ms.Smith was paid for being a juror.	The verb in active voice (A) shows that the subject ( Ms.Smith) performed the action of the verb. The verb in passive voice (P) shows that the subject (Ms.Smith) did not perform action of the verb.
I was helped by the lawyer. My sister was helped by him too.	When a performer is included after a passive verb, use by + noun or object pronoun.

The Passive Voice-----Form and Uses

Form: The passive voice can be used with different tenses and with modals. The tense of the sentence is shown by the verb be. Use the past participle with every tense.

TENSE	ACTIVE	PASSIVE ( BE + PAST PARTICIPLE)
Simple Present	They take a vote.	A vote is taken.
Simple Past	They took a vote.	A vote was taken.
Simple Future	They will take a vote. They are going to take a vote.	A vote will be taken.  A vote is going to be taken.
Present Perfect	They have taken a vote.	A vote has been taken.
Modal	They must take a vote.	A vote must be taken.
Language Notes: 1.     An adverb can be placed between the auxiliary verb and the main verb.       The jurors are always paid.       Noncitizens are never selected for jury duty. 2.     If two verbs in the passive voice are connected with and, do not repeat be. The jurors are taken to a room and shown a film about the court system.

Uses: The passive voice is used more frequently without a performer than with a performer.

EXAMPLES	EXPLANATION
English is spoken in the U.S.  Independence Day is celebrated in July.	The passive voice is used when the action is done by people in general.
The jurors are given a lunch break.  The jurors will be paid at the end of the day.  Jurors are not permitted to talk with family            members about the case.	The passive voice is used when the actual person who performs the action is of little or no importance.
a.     The criminal was arrested. b.     The students will be given a test on the passive voice.	The passive voice is used when it is obvious who performed the action. In (a) , it is obvious that the police arrested the criminal. In (b) , it is obvious that the teacher will give a test.
Active:   The lawyers presented the case                  yesterday.  Passive: The case was presented in two                  hours.  Active:   The judge and the lawyers choose                  jurors.   Passive:  People who don’t understand                  English are not chosen.	The passive voice is used to shift the  emphasis from the performer to the  receiver of the action.

* Modals, Infinitives, and Gerunds in the Passive Voice

The following patterns are used for the passive voice of modals, infinitives, and gerunds.

Modals                Modal + Be + Past Participle

                    Ex:   The program could not be installed in the computer.

Infinitives             To + Be + Past Participle 

                     Ex:   The employees waited to be allowed into the department store.

Gerunds                Being + Past Participle

                      Ex:   He hated being told he was very short.