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Passive Voice. By teacher Silvino Sieben 2ª série EM. You are being replaced by a machine. Form. Different tenses of be (is, was, is being, have been, …) + past participle of the main verb.
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Passive Voice By teacher Silvino Sieben 2ª série EM
You are being replaced by a machine. Friday, 26 September 2014 Page 2
Form • Different tenses of be (is, was, is being, have been, …) + past participle of the main verb. • This article was written by a well-known journalist. Friday, 26 September 2014 Page 3
Form * PP = Past participle • English is spoken here. • The house is being painted. • I wasn’t invited, but I went. • I felt I was being watched. • Has Mary been told? Friday, 26 September 2014 Page 4
Form * PP = Past participle • I knew I had been forgotten. • You’ll be told soon. • Who’s going to be invited? • It may be destroyed this week. Friday, 26 September 2014 Page 5
Structure Passive: This church was built in 1275. Active: They built this church in 1275. Subject Object Friday, 26 September 2014 Page 6
Structure Passive: German is spoken in Germany. Active: Germans speak German. Subject Object Friday, 26 September 2014 Page 7
Use • We use the passive voice: • when the agent is unknown; • My car was stolen last night. (I don’t know who stole my car) • to emphasise the action rather than the agent; • The factory was painted during the war. (We are interested in the factory.) • when the agent is generally understood; • The thief was arrested (by the police). • When we don’t want to say who the agent is/was. • A mistake was made. (Active voice: I made a mistake.) Friday, 26 September 2014 Page 8
Use • The passive voice is usually used in: • Newspapers (/ news); • Formal notices; • Scientific or technical writing. Friday, 26 September 2014 Page 9