PASSIVE VOICE – PAST ACTIONS
There are 3 ways to describe passive voice of past actions
Changing Simple Past Sentences to Passive
Active Statement/Answer :
[Subject (S)] + [Vs.p]
[Subject (P)] + [Vs.p]
- Vs.p = took (Verb – simple past)
- Vs.p = took (Verb – simple past)
Examples :
- I gave her the chance to do it
- She gave me a chance to do it
Passive Statement / Answer :
[I] + [was] + [Vp]
[Subject (S)] + [was] + [Vp]
[Subject (P)] + [were] + [Vp]
Vp = Perfect Verb, eg : taken
Eg : Passive / Active
- I was given a chance to do it (by her) / She gave me a chance to do it
- She was given a chance to do it (by me) / I gave her a chance to do it
- They were given a chance to do it (by me) / I gave them a chance to do it
Passive Questions :
[Was] + [I] + [Vp]
[Was] + [Subject (S)] + [Vp]
[Were] + [Subject (P)] + [Vp]
Eg : Passive / Active
- Was I given a chance? / Did they give me a chance?
- Was she given a chance? / Did they give her a chance?
- Were they given a chance? Did you give them a chance?
Changing Continuous Past Sentences to Continuous Passive
Active Continuous Statement/Answer :
[ I ] + [ was ] + [ Vc ]
[ Subject (S) ] + [ was ] + [ Vc ]
[ Subject (P) ] + [ were ] + [ Vc ]
Vc = Continuous Verb, eg : taking
- eg : I was taking
- eg : She was taking
- eg : They were taking
Passive Questions :
[I] + [was] + [being] + [Vp]
[Subject (S)] + [was] + [being] + [Vp]
[Subject (P)] + [were] + [being] + [Vp]
Vp = perfect Verb
Eg : Passive / Active
- I was being given a chance (by her) / She was giving me a chance
- She was being given a chance (by me) / I was giving her a chance
- They were being given a chance (by me) / I was giving them a chance
Changing Continuous Questions to Passive Continuous :
[Was] + [I] + [being] + [Vp]
[Was] + [Subject (S)] + [being] + [Vp]
[Were] + [Subject (P)] + [being] + [Vp]
Eg : Passive / Active
- Was I being given a chance? / Were you giving me a chance?
- Was she being given a chance? / Were you giving her a chance?
- Were they being given a chance? / Were you giving them a chance?
Changing Perfect Active to Passive
Active Statement / Answer
[Subject (S)] + [has] + [Vp]
[Subject (P)] + [have] + [Vp]
Vp = Perfect Verb, eg : given
Eg :
- She has done the job
- I have done the job
Passive Statement / Answer
[Subject (S)] + [has] + [been] + [Vp]
[Subject (P)] + [have] + [been] + [Vp]
Eg : Passive / Active
- The boy has been given a letter (by her) / She has given the boy a letter
- The boys have been given a letter each (by her) / She has given the boys a letter each
Changing Perfect Questions to Perfect Passive Questions
[Has] + [Subject (S)] + [been] + [Vp]
[Have] + [Subject (P)] + [been] + [Vp]
Eg : Passive / Active
- Has he been given the letter (by her)? / Has she given him the letter?
- Have they been given the letter (by her)? / has she given them a letter?
Conclusion :
1. Active sentences can be changed to passive sentences provided there is an object in the sentence. The object is reversed as a subject in passive.
Eg :
- Active : I have done it everyday
- Passive : It is done everyday (by me)
2. In Passive voice, only Perfect Verb can be used, no other verb!! In the above verb, ‘do’ changes to ‘done’
