Passive Voice

1.
Simple present
Active

passive
We



OB on RCTI
watched

is watched
OB on RCTI

(by us)
everyday.

everyday.
2.
Simple past
Active

passive
Rita

A letter
wrote

was written
a letter

by Rita
yesterday.

yesterday.
3.
Simple Future
Active

passive
My family



A villa
will rent

will be rent
a villa

by my family
for holiday.

for holiday.
When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following:
· the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence
· the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle)
· the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is dropped)
Agent
In a passive clause, we usually use a phrase beginning with by if we want to mention the agent - the person or thing that does the action, or that causes what happens.
Examples:
My mother makes sandwich every morning.
Subject verb1+s/es O C (adv. of time)

Sandwich is made by my mother every morning.
Subject to be+V3 Agent C (adv. of time)
present continuous : [ S + to be + being +V3 (past participle)
present perfect: [ S + has/have + been + V3 (past participle)
present continuous
Active
Passive
A young boy is catching a butterfly.
A butterfly is being caught by a young boy.
present perfect
Active
Passive
Yano has returned the book to the library.
The book has been returned to the library by Yano.
If you want to change an active sentence which has two objects into its passive forms, there are two ways:
1. Make its indirect object into the subject of the passive sentence.
2. Make its direct object into the subject of the passive sentence.

Examples:
Active:
John is giving his girl-friend a bunch of flower.
indirect object direct object
Passive:
The indirect object as the subject

John’s girl-friend is being given a bunch of flower.

Passive:
The direct object as the subject

A bunch of flower is being given to John’s girl-friend.