If the subject is the actual actor, an active deposit is used.
Mr Smith locks the gate at 8 o'clock every day / Mr Smith closes the gate at 8 o’clock every evening.
The storm destroyed dozens of trees / The storm turned a dozen trees.
When an action is taken on a subject, a passive voice is used.
The gate is locked at 8 o'clock every day / The gate closed at 8 o'clock every day.
Dozens of trees were destroyed.
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 had been cleaned.
Addition
When a passive voice is used, the character or object that realizes the action is often not mentioned at all. This happens, as a rule, for two reasons: either we do not know by whom the action is performed (or do not want to say), or because it does not matter.
Her boyfriend was shot in the chest / Her friend was shot in the chest.
Your application was rejected / Your application has been rejected.
Such items should be carefully packed in tea chests. Such items should be carefully packed in tea chests.
If, nevertheless, when using the passive voice, there is a desire to mention the character or object that is the performer of the action, then after the verb an addendum is added, which is connected through the preposition by. Such an addition is a logical subject and in English is called an agent.
He had been poisoned by his girlfriend / He was poisoned by his girlfriend.
He was brought up by an aunt / He was brought by an aunt.
If it is necessary to mention an object, for example, an instrument through which an action is performed, then the noun expressing this object is added to the verb through the preposition with with complement.
A circle was drawn in the dirt with a stick / The circle was drawn with a stick in the mud.
He was killed with a knife.
There are restrictions on the use of verbs in passive voice in the English language, namely: only transitive verbs can take a passive form. Transitive verbs are capable of transferring their action to direct (non-prepositional) addition. For example, you could say: “People spend money,” or “money is spent,” or “my brother live in the city / my brother lives in the city.”
An enormous amount of money is spent on beer / A significant portion of the money was spent on beer.
The food is sold at local markets.
With those verbs that can attach two additions, you can construct two different passive voice sentences. For example, you can say: "The secretary was given the key / the key was given to the secretary."
They were offered a new flat. They were notified of the possibility of inspecting a new apartment.
The books will be sent to you.
Passive voice: exercises
To get comfortable with the design of the passive voice, you first need to fix the logical difference from the active voice, and then work out the grammatical moment. Below are passive voice exercises that will help consolidate the material.
Emphasize passive voice
These suggestions are from a newspaper article on stolen paintings. They contain thirteen passive voice constructs. The first sentence already emphasizes the passive voice, emphasize the rest.
1. Two personages tried to sell a painting that had been stolen.
(Two people made attempts to sell the paintings that were stolen).
2. The painting was owned by Maimi Gillies, aged 84.
(The previously mentioned paintings were privately owned by an 84-year-old citizen of Miami Gills).
3. She said it had been presented 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 wedding present.
(The paintings were in her ownership since 1926, from the moment when they were handed to her as a wedding gift).
5. One of the men, Mr X, who cannot be named for legal reason, pleaded guilty.
(One man, whom we indirectly designate Mr. X, whose name cannot be announced 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 sought to get rid of the paintings at a low price, because they were stolen).
7. Their meeting was arranged at an airport, where the money for the art was to be flown in and exchanged, but the airport had been already staffed by police.
(Their meeting was scheduled on the airfield, where money for the paintings had to be transferred in exchange for works of art, but the airfield was under police control).
8. Mr x took the art to the airport and was shown the money in a case.
(Mr. X delivered the paintings to the airport and was assured of the solvency of the client 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 into the hangar in order to inspect the paintings).
10. Though mr X was arrested, Mr Henry escaped the place.
(As a result of the operation, Mr. X was detained, however, Mr. Henry managed to escape from the place of the transaction).
Restore Offer
Combine the parts of the sentence to form the desired passive voice form.
1 Petrol prices ... (Gas prices) | a ... to be won. (can be won) |
2 This jacket ... (This jacket) | b ... have been increased. (have been upgraded) |
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 ... (It feels like a phone bill) | f ... were killed in the rally. (were killed in the races) |
7 Further information ... (Further information) | g ... is not permitted anywhere on this station. (not allowed anywhere at this station) |
8 Before the storm everyone ... (Before the storm everyone) | h ... had not been paid. (not paid) |
9 Smoking ... (Smoking) | I ... is currently being rebuilt. (currently under restoration) |
10 The old town theater ... (The building of the old city theater) | j ... was told to stay inside their homes. (was informed to stay at home) |
Now look at these suggestions again. Emphasize passive voice, note the past participle and the form of the verb to be. Which of them belong to the past? To the future tense?
Expand brackets
These suggestions are taken from work instructions. Insert the verbs in brackets after the modal verb in the sentence. Expanding the brackets, use the correct passive voice form of the verb.
1. Application forms should …………………………………………… ...... ………… by 12 December. (return)
(Application forms must) ………………………………………………………. (Until December 12). (to return)
2. Further particular may ……………………………………………………………… from the Senior Tutor. (obtain)
(Further particulars) ………………………………………………………. (From the main guardian). (receive)
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 must) ...................................... (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) …………………………………………… (college accommodation). (provide)
Conclusion
Thus, the English passive voice is similar to the Russian passive voice, which is formed with the help of the auxiliary verb to be and participle II (acc. Past tense). In the passive voice, only those verbs can be used that in the active voice add additions.