The Passive Voice

Today, we're going to look at the 'PASSIVE VOICE' in English.
First, we'll have a look at when we use the Passive Voice and then we have a look at how to formulate Passive sentences.
When you ready, we can make it!

THE PASSIVE VOICE

What is the 'Passive Voice'?
A sentence generally begins with the performer of the action (SUBJECT), then the VERB, then the OBJECT, or PERSON that the action is performed on. This is called an 'Active' sentence.
E.g. Subject +Predicate +Object.
Mark(S) sang(P) a song(O).

If we begin the sentence with the OBJECT or PERSON that the action is performed on, we formulate a 'Passive' sentence.
It started with:
e.g Object +Predicate (+BY Subject).
A song(O) WAS SUNG(P) BY Mark(S)

P.S - The Passive Voice is always using to be+Past Participle (V3).
*Sing(V1) Sang(V2) Sung(V3)
- Not all verbs in English take an OBJECT.
E.g. Mark(S) sings(P) well(A). / Mark(S) lives(P) far(A) away(Prep.).
*This type of sentence can not be changed into the Passive Voice.

When should we use the Passive Voice?
There are 2 main casuses:
1. We don't know who the SUBJECT is, or It's not important who the SUBJECT is.
E.g Somebody(S) write(P) a novel(O).
*We don't know who SOMEBODY is. Whether girl or boy or someone who's near us.
So, A novel(O) was written(P).

2. When it's obvious to the listener or reader who the SUBJECT is, because it's the PERSON who usually does it.
E.g The singer(S) wrote(P) a song(O).
*The singer is a proffesion of person who always singing.
So, A song(O) was written(P).

How to formulate the Passive Voice?
To formulate a Passive sentence:
1. Put the OBJECT of the verb at the beginning of your sentence;
2. Conjugate the verb TO BE in the same tense as the active sentence;
3. Put the main verb in the PAST PARTICIPLE (V3) form.
E.g - Simple present (A): The singer delivers(V1) the song.
>> (P): The song is(TO BE) delivered(V3).

- S. Present Cont. (A): The singer is(TO BE) singing(V1ing) a song.
>> (P): A song is being(TOBE) sung(V3).
P.S - If you want to mention the SUBJECT in a Passive sentence, use 'by':
e.g A song is being writing by the singer.
*It must use 'by' in SPECIFIC subject.

- If the active sentence begins with NOONE or NOBODY, the Passive sentence will be negative.
E.g No one turned on the light.
>> The light was NOT turned on.

- If there is a PREPOSITION between the VERB and the OBJECT, the preposition will remain AFTER the verb:
e.g They talked about the issue. >> The issue was talked ABOUT.

The Passive Voice of different tenses

P.S. A (Active) P(Passive)
1. Simple Present: (A= V1) (P= TOBE+V3)
2. Simple Past: (A=V2) (P=TOBE+V3)
3. Simple Future: (A=WILL/SHALL+V1) (P=WILL/SHALL+BE+V3)
4. Simple Past Future: (A=WOULD/SHOULD+V1) (P=WOULD/SHOULD+BE+V3)
5. Present Perfect: (A=HAVE/HAS+V3) (P=HAS/HAVE+BEEN+V3)
6. Past Perfect: (A=HAD+V3) (P=HAD+BEEN+V3)
7. Future Perfect: (A=WILL/SHALL+HAVE+V3) (P=WILL/SHALL+HAVE+BEEN+V3)
8. Past Future Perfect: (A=WOULD/SHOULD+HAVE+V3) (P=WOULD/SHOULD+HAVE+BEEN+V3)
9. Simple Present Cont.: (A=TOBE+V1ing) (P=TOBE+BEING+V3)
10. Simple Past Cont.: (A=TOBE+V1ing) (P=TOBE+BEING+V3)
11. Simple Future Cont.: (A=WILL/SHALL+BE+V1ing) (P=WILL/SHALL+BE+BEING+V3)
12. Simple Past Future Cont.: (A=WOULD/SHOULD+BE+V1ing) (P=WOULD/SHOULD+BE+BEING+V3)
13. Present Perfect Cont.: (A=HAVE/HAS+BEEN+V1ing) (P=NOT COMMON)
14. Past Perfect Cont.: (A=HAD+BEEN+V1ing) (P=NOT COMMON)
15. Future Perfect Cont.: (A=WILL/SHALL+HAVE+BEEN+V1ing) (P=NOT COMMON)
16. Past Future Perfect Cont.: (A=WOULD/SHOULD+HAVE+BEEN+V1ing) (P=NOT COMMON)

The Passive Voice of other structures
In structures containing the Infinitive:
e.g Do >> Be done.
- Be going to: (A) I AM GOING TO DO it. >> (P) It IS GOING TO BE DONE.
- Have to: (A) I HAVE TO DO it. >> (P) It HAS TO BE DONE.
- Use to: (A) I USED TO DO it. >> (P) It USED TO BE DONE.

*and modal verbs like (can, may, etc.) with infinitive and without 'to':

E.g I CAN DO it >> It CAN BE DONE.

And final structures:
In expressions containing the GERUND:
e.g Doing >> Being done
- Avoid: I AVOID SEEING him. >> He AVOIDS BEING SEEN.
- Dont mind: I DON'T MIND TEACHING her. >> She DOESN'T MIND BEING TAUGHT. 

Person In Object Position

We can also formulate Passive sentences whth a person in the OBJECT position.
Eg. - Somebody PICKED me. >> I WAS PICKED.
- They HAVE INVITED us. >> We HAVE BEEN INVITED.
- Someone WAS INTERVIEWING Jane. >> Jane WAS BEING INTERVIEWED.

Some sentences have both an OBJECT and a PERSON in the object position. You can choose either one to formulate the Passive sentence.
E.g. - Someone BROUGHT me a book. >> 1. I WAS BROUGHT a book. 2. a book WAS BROUGHT to me.
- She HAS GIVEN us a pen. >> 1. We HAVE BEEN GIVEN a pen. 2. A pen HAS BEEN GIVEN to us.

COMMON MISTAKES

There are 4 common mistakes:
1. Changing the tense to a similar tense.
E.g. - The singer HAS ANNOUNCED the album. (Present Perfect=Active) >> The album WAS ANNOUNCED. (Simple Past=Passive): X
it should be: The album HAS BEEN ANNOUNCED. (Present Perfect=P=A)
- They ARE GOING TO BUILD a church. (Simple Future=A) >> A church WILL BE BUILT. (Simple Future=P)
It should be: A church IS GOING TO BE BUILT.
*A tense can't be changed from 'be going to' to 'will', try to avoid it!

2. For getting the verb 'to be'.
E.g. - Someone HAS TOLD the stories. >> The stories HAVE TOLD.
*There is missing 'to be'.
It should be: The stories HAVE BEEN TOLD.

- They ARE GOING TO BUILD a church. >> A church IS GOING TO BUILT.
It should be: A church IS GOING TO BE BUILT.

3. Using the Present Participle instead of the Past Participle.
E.g. - She HAS SUNG a song. >> A song HAS BEEN REPORTING.
*Not 'reporting', it should be 'reported'.

4. Plural/Singular Confusion.
E.g. - She HAS READ the 'stories'. >> the stories (HAS) BEEN REPORTED.
*Not 'has' but HAVE, because stories are Plural.
- There ARE GOING TO BUILD a church. >> a church (ARE) GOING TO BE BUILT.
*Not 'are' but IS, because a church is Singular.

HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT. Thx.