Passive
Voice
Use of Passive
Passive
voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is not important or not
known, however, who or what is performing the action.
Example: My
bike was stolen.
In the
example above, the focus is on the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not know,
however, who did it.
Sometimes a
statement in passive is more polite than active voice, as the following example
shows:
Example: A
mistake was made.
In this
case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was made, but I do not blame anyone
(e.g. You have made a mistake.).
Form of Passive
Subject +
finite form of to be + Past Participle (3rd column of irregular verbs)
Example: A
letter was written.
When
rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:
the object
of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence
the finite
form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)
the subject
of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is
dropped)
Personal and Impersonal Passive
Personal
Passive simply means that the object of the active sentence becomes the subject
of the passive sentence. So every verb that needs an object (transitive verb)
can form a personal passive.
Example:
They build houses. – Houses are built.
Verbs
without an object (intransitive verb) normally cannot form a personal passive
sentence (as there is no object that can become the subject of the passive
sentence). If you want to use an intransitive verb in passive voice, you need
an impersonal construction – therefore this passive is called Impersonal Passive.
Example: he
says – it is said
Impersonal
Passive is not as common in English as in some other languages (e.g. German,
Latin). In English, Impersonal Passive is only possible with verbs of
perception (e. g. say, think, know).
Example:
They say that women live longer than men. – It is said that women live longer
than men.
Although
Impersonal Passive is possible here, Personal Passive is more common.
Example:
They say that women live longer than men. – Women are said to live longer than
men.
The subject
of the subordinate clause (women) goes to the beginning of the sentence; the
verb of perception is put into passive voice. The rest of the sentence is added
using an infinitive construction with 'to' (certain auxiliary verbs and that
are dropped).
Sometimes
the term Personal Passive is used in English lessons if the indirect object of
an active sentence is to become the subject of the passive sentence.
