Passive Voice

Which text do you prefer? Why? a. Ahir a la nit un assassí va assassinar tres persones a una botiga de Barcelona. La policia va detenir l’assassí uns minuts després i algú va trobar l’arma al seu cotxe. b. Ahir a la nit tres persones van ser assassinades a una botiga de Barcelona. L’assassí va ser detingut uns minuts després i l’arma va ser trobada al seu cotxe.

PASSIVE IS = ACTIVE??? NO! NOT INTERCHANGEABLE!

Passive is more common in English“Es parla anglès”“Se habla inglés” “On parle Anglais” “Man spricht Englisch” “Si parla Inglese”

-Not common in informal, everyday language.-More common in formal, written language and in scientific and technical texts.

REMEMBER use the active whenever possible. It’s easier and more

common!

“English is spoken”“We speak English”

So, ... when do we use the passive?

These TV’s are made in Japan. – SUBJECT NOT IMPORTANT

The post is delivered every day except Sundays. – SUBJECT EVIDENT

My car was stolen last night. – SUBJECT UNKNOWN

How is a passive sentence built?

The police arrested the murderer.

The murderer was arrested (by the police).

Usually not mentioned. If you need to give that info, use an active sentence instead!

Passive verbs have two parts:

TO BE in the appropriate tense

TO BE in the appropriate tense

PARTICIPLE

(reg. verb +ed / irregulars: 3rd column)

PARTICIPLE

(reg. verb +ed / irregulars: 3rd column)

++

TO BE

Present simple:

Present continuous:

Past simple:

Past continuous:

Present perfect:

Past perfect:

Future:

Fill in the blanks with a verb in the appropriate tense

Present simple - A car is stolen every 2 minutes.

Present continuous - Watch out! Your car is being stolen.

Past simple - My car was stolen last night.

Past continuous - My car was being stolen when a police officer saw it.

Present perfect - Peter’s car has been stolen.

Past perfect -When I left the cinema I saw that my car had been stolen.

Future - Peter’s car doesn’t lock properly, I bet it will be stolen one of these days.

Fill in the blanks with a verb in the appropriate tense

Present simple - A car is stolen every 2 minutes.

Present continuous - Watch out! Your car is being stolen.

Past simple - My car was stolen last night.

Past continuous - My car was being stolen when a police officer saw it.

Present perfect - Peter’s car has been stolen.

Past perfect -When I left the cinema I saw that my car had been stolen.

Future - Peter’s car doesn’t lock properly, I bet it will be stolen one of these days.

Fill in the blanks with a verb in the appropriate tense

Present simple - A car is stolen every 2 minutes.

Present continuous - Watch out! Your car is being stolen.

Past simple - My car was stolen last night.

Past continuous - My car was being stolen when a police officer saw it.

Present perfect - Peter’s car has been stolen.

Past perfect -When I left the cinema I saw that my car had been stolen.

Future - Peter’s car doesn’t lock properly, I bet it will be stolen one of these days.

Fill in the blanks with a verb in the appropriate tense

Present simple - A car is stolen every 2 minutes.

Present continuous - Watch out! Your car is being stolen.

Past simple - My car was stolen last night.

Past continuous - My car was being stolen when a police officer saw it.

Present perfect - Peter’s car has been stolen.

Past perfect -When I left the cinema I saw that my car had been stolen.

Future - Peter’s car doesn’t lock properly, I bet it will be stolen one of these days.

Fill in the blanks with a verb in the appropriate tense

Present simple - A car is stolen every 2 minutes.

Present continuous - Watch out! Your car is being stolen.

Past simple - My car was stolen last night.

Past continuous - My car was being stolen when a police officer saw it.

Present perfect - Peter’s car has been stolen.

Past perfect -When I left the cinema I saw that my car had been stolen.

Future - Peter’s car doesn’t lock properly, I bet it will be stolen one of these days.

Fill in the blanks with a verb in the appropriate tense

Present simple - A car is stolen every 2 minutes.

Present continuous - Watch out! Your car is being stolen.

Past simple - My car was stolen last night.

Past continuous - My car was being stolen when a police officer saw it.

Present perfect - Peter’s car has been stolen.

Past perfect -When I left the cinema I saw that my car had been stolen.

Future - Peter’s car doesn’t lock properly, I bet it will be stolen one of these days.

Fill in the blanks with a verb in the appropriate tense

Present simple - A car is stolen every 2 minutes.

Present continuous - Watch out! Your car is being stolen.

Past simple - My car was stolen last night.

Past continuous - My car was being stolen when a police officer saw it.

Present perfect - Peter’s car has been stolen.

Past perfect -When I left the cinema I saw that my car had been stolen.

Future - Peter’s car doesn’t lock properly, I bet it will be stolen one of these days.

So, ... it works exactly like Catalan or Spanish, right?

They gave him a prize

OPTION A

They gave him a prize

He was given a prize

When there are two objects, the indirect object usually becomes the subject of the passive sentence.

When there are two objects, the indirect object usually becomes the subject of the passive sentence.

OPTION B

They gave him a prize

A prize was given to him