Active to Passive
A speeding truck hit my car.
My car was hit by a speeding truck.
The patient was stung by an unusual insect.
An unusual insect stung the patient.
I went to the doctor yesterday and I … (prescribe) some medicine for my cough.
I went to the doctor yesterday and I was prescribed some medicine for my cough.
John gave a bar of chocolate to Jane.
Jane was given a bar of chocolate.
The passive voice is used when you want to focus on the person or thing that did the action.
False! The passive voice is used when you do not want to focus on the person or thing that did the action.
The children have cleaned the house.
The house has been cleaned by the children.
Our readers will be fascinated by the information.
The information will fascinate our readers.
If she hadn’t insulted the police officer, she wouldn’t … (arrest).
If she hadn’t insulted the police officer, she wouldn’t have been arrested.
The company will offer the job to Simon.
Simon will be offered the job.
The passive voice is used when you don't know who performed the action described in the sentence.
True!
Mary is taking care of Alex's son.
Alex's son is being taken care of.
New editors are frequently hired at the newspaper.
The newspaper frequently hires new editors.
She is hoping … (elect) president.
She is hoping to be elected president.
Kevin is asking Dennis a question.
Dennis is being asked a question.
The passive voice in English is formed with "to be" + past simple.
False! The passive voice in English is formed with "to be" + past participle.
Your sister should have sold the car.
The car should have been sold.
Anne’s house has been broken into.
Someone has broken into Anne's house.
The museum … (visit) by millions of people next year.
The museum will be visited by millions of people next year.
Michael has not sent me the file.
I have not been sent the file.
We can use the passive with all tenses except modal verbs.
False! We can use the passive with all tenses and with modal verbs.
The police are questioning him now.
He is being questioned by the police now.
Taking pictures here is not allowed.
They do not allow taking pictures here.
The suspect … (question) by the police at the moment.
The suspect is being questioned by the police at the moment.
James was telling me a joke when it happened.
I was being told a joke when it happened.
When a sentence has two objects, it is more common to use the person as the subject in the passive sentence.
True!