In an active sentence, the subject is the person/thing that does the action. In a passive sentence the subject is the person/thing to which something happens:
Active: subject/ active verb/ object
Ex: Tracey Emin/ won / the prize.
Passive: subject/ passive/ verb agent
Ex: The prize/ was won/ by Tracey Emin.
In a sentence with two objects there are two possible sentence structures, but usually we make the person the subject of the passive sentence:
Active: subject / active verb / indirect object / + direct object
Ex: He / gave / Sue / a CD.
Passive: Sue was given a CD.
(A CD was given to Sue is possible but less likely.)
We can use the passive with 'reporting verbs' (e.g. say, expect, suppose, agree, know, think, understand, claim) to talk about an opinion held by some people/a lot of people/experts, etc. The following patterns can be used:
Pattern: subject + passive + to-infinitive:
Ex: Our team was expected to do well.
It is supposed to be a fine day tomorrow.
Pattern: It + passive + that
Ex: It has been agreed that we have to make improvements.
Some verbs (see, hear, make, help, know) are followed by an infinitive (without to) when they are active, but a to-infinitive when passive:
Ex: They heard him shout. > He was heard to shout.
Passives are more often used in written language (e.g. newspapers, reports, scientific writing, notices and announcements). They can often sound formal and impersonal:
Ex: Customers are requested not to leave their bags unattended.
Passives can be used to take personal responsibility away from the speaker:
Ex: Income tax will be increased next year.
We sometimes use passives to continue the theme of what is being talked about. In the following sentence the new information - Beethoven - is put at the end for emphasis:
Ex: This is a marvellous symphony. It was written by Beethoven.
Passives are also used when information about who does something is expressed in a long phrase:
Ex: He was given a box of chocolates by a woman wearing a dark coat and black boots.
In informal English we can sometimes use get + past participle with a passive meaning, for things that happen by accident or unexpectedly:
Ex: The postman got bitten by a dog. (= was bitten)
How did your car get damaged? (= who/what was it damaged by)
Active or passive? Select the correct form of the verb.
Rewrite these sentences in the passive to make them appropriate for a leaflet giving information to airline passengers. Begin with the word given. Be careful with word order.
Important information for passengers:
Verbs with two objects. Rewrite these sentences, making the words in italics the subject. Omit the agent (by ...) if it is not necessary.
EXAMPLE: The travel agency posted us the tickets.
The tickets were posted to us by the travel agency.
Rewrite these sentences beginning with the words given.