PASSIVE VOICE

   

   Uses:

   O/     Only verbs with an object (transitive) can be made passive (and even then, not all of
   them – e.g. like, love).

           They sent the letter.                   The letter was sent. 

   O/     Verbs with both direct and indirect objects can be made passive in two ways:

   They sent me the letter.             I was sent the letter

                                                  The letter was sent to me.

   Contexts:

   O/     By placing the object at the beginning of the sentence, the passive can change the
   focus of interest in a sentence and is used in a variety of contexts.

   Impersonal statements       Students are asked not to smoke.

   When the agent is unknown        My bike has been stolen.

   When the agent is obvious  Mr. Jones will be arrested.

   How something was done   The box was opened with a knife.

   

                                          Reporting verbs

   O/     The passive is often used with say, believe, understand, know and similar verbs used in
   reporting to avoid an impersonal they or people.

   John Wilson is said to live in New York.

   John Wilson is said to be travelling in Africa.

   

   O/     If some misfortunes, caused by an unspecified person, happen to us, we use to have/get
   something done.

   Peter had his car stolen last week.

   

   O/     There is also an idiomatic way of expressing some passive sentences, usually about
   things or people which need some kind of service – needs doing.

           The floor is filthy. It needs scrubbing.

   

   O/     If a verb is followed by a preposition and object, the preposition stays with the verb
   in a passive sentence.

   The Prime Minister was shouted at

   during his speech.