Form of Passive

Subject + finite form of to be + Past Participle (3rd column of irregular verbs)

Example: A letter was written
!"en rewriting active sentences in passive voice# note t"e following:
t"e object of t"e active sentence becomes t"e subject of t"e passive sentence
t"e finite form of t"e verb is c"anged (to be + past participle)
t"e subject of t"e active sentence becomes t"e object of t"e passive sentence (or is
dropped)
Examples of Passive
Simple Present Active: $ita
writes
a letter
Passive: A letter
is written
b% $ita
Simple Past Active: $ita
wrote
a letter
Passive: A letter
was written
b% $ita
Present Perfect Active: $ita
"as written
a letter
Passive: A letter
"as been written
b% $ita
Future I Active: $ita
will write
a letter
Passive: A letter
will be written
b% $ita
Hilfsverben Active: $ita
can write
a letter
Passive: A letter
can be written
b% $ita
Examples of Passive
Present Progressive Active: $ita
is writing
a letter
Passive: A letter
is being written
b% $ita
Past Progressive Active: $ita
was writing
a letter
Passive: A letter
was being written
b% $ita
Past Perfect Active: $ita
"ad written
a letter
Passive: A letter
"ad been written
b% $ita
Future II Active: $ita
will "ave written
a letter
Passive: A letter
will "ave been written
b% $ita
Conditional I Active: $ita
would write
a letter
Passive: A letter
would be written
b% $ita
Conditional II Active: $ita
would "ave written
a letter
Passive: A letter
would "ave been written
b% $ita
Passive Sentences with Two Obects
$ewriting an active sentence wit" two objects in passive voice means t"at one of t"e two objects
becomes t"e subject# t"e ot"er one remains an object !"ic" object to transform into a subject
depends on w"at %ou want to put t"e focus on
Active: $ita
wrote a letter
to me
Passive: A letter
was written to me
b% $ita
Passive: &
was written a letter
b% $ita
IF Clause T!pe "
Form
if # Simple Present$ will%Future
Example: &f & find "er address# & will send "er an invitation
'"e main clause can also be at t"e beginning of t"e sentence &n t"is case# don(t use a comma
Example: & will send "er an invitation if & find "er address
&ote' )ain clause and * or if clause mig"t be negative See Simple Present und will+,uture on
"ow to form negative sentences
Example: &f & don-t see "im t"is afternoon# & will p"one "im in t"e evening
(se
.onditional Sentences '%pe & refer to t"e future An action in t"e future will onl% "appen if a
certain condition is fulfilled b% t"at time !e don(t /now for sure w"et"er t"e condition actuall%
will be fulfilled or not# but t"e conditions seems rat"er realistic 0 so we t"in/ it is li/el% to "appen
IF Clause T!pe )
Form
if # Simple Past$ main clause with Conditional I *+ would # Infinitive,
Example: &f & found "er address# & would send "er an invitation
'"e main clause can also be at t"e beginning of t"e sentence &n t"is case# don(t use a comma
Example: & would send "er an invitation if & found "er address
&ote' )ain clause and * or if clause mig"t be negative See Simple Past und .onditional & on
"ow to form negative sentences
Example: &f & "ad a lot of mone%# & wouldn-t sta% "ere
Were instead of Was
&n &, .lauses '%pe &&# we usuall% use 1were2 0 even if t"e pronoun is I# he# she or it 0
Example: &f & were %ou# & would not do t"is
(se
.onditional Sentences '%pe && refer to situations in t"e present An action could "appen if t"e
present situation were different & don(t reall% expect t"e situation to c"ange# "owever & just
imagine what would happen if
IF Clause T!pe -
Form
if # Past Perfect$ main clause with Conditional II
Example: &f & "ad found "er address# & would "ave sent "er an invitation
'"e main clause can also be at t"e beginning of t"e sentence &n t"is case# don(t use a comma
Example: & would "ave sent "er an invitation if & "ad found "er address
&ote' )ain clause and * or if clause mig"t be negative See Past Perfect and .onditional && on
"ow to form negative sentences
Example: &f & "adn-t studied# & wouldn-t "ave passed m% exams
(se
.onditional Sentences '%pe &&& refer to situations in t"e past An action could "ave "appened in
t"e past if a certain condition "ad been fulfilled '"ings were different t"en# "owever !e just
imagine# w"at would "ave "appened if t"e situation "ad been fulfilled
Simple
Present
.' 3e spea/s
&' 3e does not
spea/
/' 4oes "e
spea/5
action in t"e present ta/ing
placeonce$ never or several times
facts
actions ta/ing place one after
anot"er
action set b% a timetable or
sc"edule
alwa%s# ever% 6#
never# normall%# often#
seldom# sometimes#
usuall%
if sentences t%pe & (If
Italk, )
Present
Progressive
.' 3e is
spea/ing
&' 3e is not
spea/ing
/' &s "e
spea/ing5
action ta0ing place in the
moment of spea0ing
action ta/ing place onl% for a
limited period of time
action arranged for t"e future
at t"e moment# just#
just now# 7isten8#
7oo/8# now# rig"t now
Simple Past .' 3e spo/e
&' 3e did not
spea/
/' 4id "e
spea/5
action in t"e past ta/ing
placeonce$ never or several times
actions ta/ing place one after
anot"er
action ta/ing place in t"e middle of
anot"er action
%esterda%# 9 minutes
ago# in :;;<# t"e ot"er
da%# last ,rida%
if sentence t%pe && (If
Italked, )
Past
Progressive
.' 3e was
spea/ing
&' 3e was not
spea/ing
/' !as "e
spea/ing5
action going on at a certain time
in t"e past
actions ta/ing place at t"e same
time
action in t"e past t"at is interrupted
b% anot"er action
w"en# w"ile# as long
as
Present
Perfect Simple
.' 3e "as
spo/en
&' 3e "as not
spo/en
/' 3as "e
spo/en5
putting emp"asis on t"e result
action t"at is still going on
action t"at stopped recentl%
finis"ed action t"at "as an
alread%# ever# just#
never# not %et# so far#
till now# up to now
influence on t"e present
action t"at "as ta/en place once#
never or several times before t"e
moment of spea/ing
Present
Perfect
Progressive
.' 3e "as
been spea/ing
&' 3e "as not
been spea/ing
/' 3as "e
been
spea/ing5
putting emp"asis on t"e course or
duration (not t"e result)
action t"at recentl% stopped or is
still going on
finis"ed action t"at influenced t"e
present
all da%# for = %ears#
since :;;3# "ow long5#
t"e w"ole wee/
Past Perfect
Simple
.' 3e "ad
spo/en
&' 3e "ad not
spo/en
/' 3ad "e
spo/en5
action ta/ing place before a certain
time in t"e past
sometimes interc"angeable wit"
past perfect progressive
putting emp"asis onl% on
t"e fact(not t"e duration)
alread%# just# never# not
%et# once# until t"at da%
if sentence t%pe &&& (If
Ihad talked, )
Past Perfect
Progressive
.' 3e "ad
been spea/ing
&' 3e "ad not
been spea/ing
/' 3ad "e
been
spea/ing5
action ta/ing place before a certain
time in t"e past
sometimes interc"angeable wit"
past perfect simple
putting emp"asis on t"e duration
or course of an action
for# since# t"e w"ole
da%# all da%
Future I
Simple
.' 3e will
spea/
&' 3e will not
spea/
/' !ill "e
spea/5
action in t"e future t"at cannot be
influenced
spontaneous decision
assumption wit" regard to t"e
future
in a %ear# next 6#
tomorrow
&f+Sat> '%p & (If you ask
her, she will help you.)
assumption: & t"in/#
probabl%# per"aps
1egend
moment in time
action t"at ta/es place once# never or several times
actions t"at "appen one after anot"er
actions t"at suddenl% ta/e place
period of time
action t"at started before a certain moment and lasts be%ond
t"at moment
actions ta/ing place at t"e same time
2esult
action ta/ing place before a certain moment in time
puts emp"asis on t"e result
Course 3
4uration
action ta/ing place before a certain moment in time
puts emp"asis on t"e course or duration of t"e action