PASSIVE VOICE Follow the following steps: 1.Read carefully the following sentences. 2.Point out internally the differences from active to passive. Sentences: ACTIVE► The professor teaches the students. PASSIVE► The students are taught by the professor. ACTIVE► John washes the dishes. PASSIVE► The dishes are washed by John. ACTIVE► The firemen save the cat. PASSIVE► The cat is saved by the firemen. ACTIVE► Everyone loves Paul. PASSIVE► Paul is loved. ACTIVE► People pay taxes. PASSIVE► Taxes are paid. 3.Now, orally, what differences or changes take place? Jot them down underneath. Differences or changes:
Now apply 1,2 and 3 again for the following sentences: ACTIVE► Martha bought a house. PASSIVE► A/The house was bought by Martha. ACTIVE► These scientists studied hurricanes. PASSIVE► Hurricanes were studied by these scientists. ACTIVE► Someone sent me an email. PASSIVE► (2 options) I was sent an email. An/The email was sent to me. ACTIVE►The grandma told the child a story every night.
PASSIVE► (2 options) The child was told a story by the grandma every night. A /The story was told to the child by the grandma every night. What new changes or differences did you notice?
Now check again the changes in the following sentences: ACTIVE► Right now, Sarah is writing a letter. PASSIVE► Right now, the letter is being written by Sarah. ACTIVE► The salesman was helping the customer when… PASSIVE► The customer was being helped by the salesman when… ACTIVE►Many tourists have visited that castle. PASSIVE► This /That castle has been visited by many tourists. ACTIVE► By the 90s John had repaired many cars. PASSIVE► By the 90s many cars had been repaired by john. ACTIVE►Someone will finish the work by 5pm. PASSIVE► The work will be finished by 5pm. ACTIVE► I knew Peter would charge you on that. PASSIVE► I knew you would be charged on that by Peter. Again write your discoveries:
4.Is there any difference in meaning between the active sentence and the passive counterpart? In other words, when do English speakers use the passive?
Finally check these a bit longer and also a bit unusual sentences: ACTIVE►Recently, Stephanie has been collecting butterflies. PASSIVE► Recently, butterflies have been being collected by Stephanie. ACTIVE►Chef Jones had been preparing the restaurant dinners for two years when he went to LA. PASSIVE► The restaurant dinners had been being prepared by Chef Jones for 2 years… ACTIVE►Sally is going to make a beautiful dinner tonight. PASSIVE► A beautiful dinner is going to be made by Sally tonight. 5. What would be the Spanish counterpart for some of these sentences? 6.Who do you think use the passive more, the English or the Spanish?