USES:
- We use the passive voice when the action is more important than the subject who did it.
- When the author is obvious or unknown.
- When the complement is more important than the subject.
NOTES:
- If we want to say the author we add
BY at the end of the sentence followed by who did it.
- There are
direct passives where the direct object becomes the subject:
A box was sent to me by John.
- There are
indirect passives where the indirect object becomes the subject:
I was sent a box by John.
FORM:
Subject + To be (same tense as active sentence) + V participle
IMPERSONAL PASSIVE SENTENCES
USES:
- In place of active sentences with "generalized" subject: people, world...
- When we don't need or want to mention a subject: It.
- With verbs such as believe, say, expect, think, know...
FORM:
Generalized Subject + To be (same tense as active sentence) + V participle
Links to exercises:
