The Passive Voice

THE PASSIVE VOICE


1. PRESENT SIMPLE

a. The organizers show the visitors the new buildings.
The visitors are shown the new buildings (by the organizers)
b. Women clean this office everyevening.
This office is cleaned every evening.
c. People don’t do anything for innocent people.
Nothing is done for innocent people.
d. Do they give dictionaries free at bookshops?
Are dictionariesgiven free at bookshops?

2. PRESENT CONTINUOUS

a. They are demolishing the entire block.
The entire block is being demolished.
b. People are using computers all over the world.
Computers arebeing used all over the world.

3. SIMPLE PAST

a. We ate all the cakes yesterday night.
All the cakes were eaten yesterday night.
b. Someone stole twenty bottles of whiskey from the shop.Twenty bottles of whiskey were stolen from the shop.
c. I didn’t find my dictionary anywhere.
My dictionary wasn’t found anywhere.
d. Did he tell you the secret?
Were you told the secret?

4. PASTCONTINUOUS

a. Someone was sending him a present yesterday.
He was being sent a present yesterday.
b. We were taking our cars to the garage.
Our cars were being taken to the garage.

5. PRESENTPERFECT

a. They have offered her a job in Australia.
She has been offered a job in Australia.
b. Nobody has climbed these mountains before.
These mountains haven’t been climbed before.6. PAST PERFECT

a. They had given my little sister a ticket.
My little sister had been given a ticket.
b. Had someone posted my parcel yesterday night?
Had my parcel been posted yesterdaynight?

7. SIMPLE FUTURE

a. Will you destroy the town?
Will the town be destroyed?
b. They won’t invite Ann to the party.
Ann won’t be invited to the party.

8. BE GOING TO + INFINITIVE

a.They are going to clean the Town Hall free.
The Town Hall is going to be cleaned free.
b. They are going to throw away the tickets.
The tickets are going to be thrown away.

9. FUTURE PERFECT...