Page 55 - Grasp English B1+ (Grammar Book)

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Passive voice (simple)

When a sentence is written in the active voice, the subject
performs the action. However, in the passive voice, the
object of the action becomes the subject of the sentence.
Active voice: The Academy gave the Best Actress Oscar to
Frances McDormand in 2021.
Passive voice: Frances McDormand was given the Best
Actress Oscar in 2021 (by the academy).

We use the “auxiliary” (be) for the tense and third form of
the verb (V3) and “by agent” to make a passive sentence.
“By agent” refers to the doer of the action, and it is used
only when the doer is essential. Most of the time, the
emphasis is on the action not the agent in the passive
voice.

Shortly, Passive = be + V3 + by agent

We use the passive voice because it sounds more objective and less personal. We can find it in news
reports when sometimes we don’t know the doer of the action. We can find it in scientific papers
because it is less personal, and the action itself is considered more important than the people who
do it.

Active voice Passive voice*

(am/is/are+V3+by agent)
Present simple I clean the house every day.
The house is cleaned every day.
(was/were+V3+by agent)
Past simple I cleaned the house yesterday.
The house was cleaned yesterday.
(have/has been+V3+by agent)
Present perfect I have cleaned the house recently. The house has been cleaned
recently.
(had been+V3+by agent)
I had cleaned the house before you
Past perfect The house had been cleaned before
came.
you came.
(will be+V3+by agent)
Future simple I will clean the house tomorrow.
The house will be cleaned tomorrow.
(am/is/are going to be+V3+by
agent)
be going to future I am going to clean the house tomorrow.
The house is going to be cleaned
tomorrow.

*Note: “by agent” is not important in these examples.

Grasp English B1+ Grammar Book © Prime Press, 2021 | www.primepress.com 53