Golden Rules

1. We form the passive using be in an appropriate tense or form + the past participle of a transitive verb.

In spoken English, we sometimes use get instead of be in the passive:

• They got told off for making so much noise.

We can’t use intransitive verbs in the passive because they don’t have an object that can be changed into the subject:

• The Tasmanian tiger was died out early this century. (wrong)

• The Tasmanian tiger died out early this century. (right)

2. We use the structure have/get something done to say that we arranged for someone else to do things for us:

- How often do you have your car serviced?

- They have just had a telephone installed in their new office.

Get something done is more informal:

- I think we should get the old printer replaced.

We also use these structures to say that something (often not nice) happened:

- George had his money stolen when he left his hotel room open.

- Meredith had her papers blown off in the wind.

3. Verbs that have two objects (usually a person and a thing) in the active usually have two passive forms because either of the objects can become the new subject:

• They gave the award to an unknown actress.

• An unknown actress was given the award.

• The award was given to an unknown actress.

4. In the passive sentence the prepositions stay with the verb:

The Prime Minister was shouted at during his speech

With is used after participles such us filled, packed, crowded, crammed.

The train was packed with commuters.

There is a difference between prepositions by and with

Dick was hit by a branch, (an accident)

Dick was hit with a branch, (a person hit him with one)

Cover and verbs which involve similar ideas, such as surround, can use with or by. Cover can also be followed by in.

5 With past reference, the passive is followed by the past infinitive.

Smith is believed to have left England last week.

If the reporting verb is in the past, the past infinitive tends to follow, though not always if the verb be is used.

Nancy was thought to have paid too much. The thief was thought to still be in the house.

With passive infinitive

The portrait is known to have been painted by an Italian.

Past and present continuous infinitives are also used.

Mary is thought to be living in Scotland. The driver is thought to have been doing a U-turn.

6. A passive form is not necessarily translated by a passive form in another language:

I was born near London

7. Make (meaning force) is followed by to in the passive:

They made David work hard – David was made to work hard

Grammar in Focus

1. These sentences sound unnatural in the active. Paraphrase them using the passive.

1. They built our house in the 17^th century.

______________________________

2. Someone’s decorating my flat at the moment.

______________________________

3. Has someone fixed the coffee machine yet?

______________________________

4. We ate in restaurants while they were building a new kitchen.

While the new kitchen_____________________

5. We arrived at work to find out that someone had burgled our office.

______________________________

6. They won’t recognize her in those dark glasses.

She ___________________________