The Passive Voice
Active: We bake the bread here.
Passive: The bread is baked here.
We take the verb of the active and we write the verb to be in the same tense. Then we add the past participle of the verb of the active sentence (3rd column of the irregular verbs).
When there is an IO (indirect object), we MUST use the IO as the subject of the passive sentence.
Active: The guide showed us the cathedral.
Passive: We were shown the cathedral by the guide.
WE DO NOT WRITE WHO DOES THE ACTION IN THE PASSIVE VOICE UNLESS IT IS NECESSARY BECAUSE IT IS A NAME OR A POSITION. In that case we would introduce it with by. E.g.: The jacket was worn by Elvis Presley.
Verb Tenses
Special Structures
It is said that… / Something is said to be...
We use this structure when we cannot say or don’t need to say who the speaker is.
E.g.: It is thought that the company is planning a new advertising campaign./ The company is thought to be planning a new advertising campaign.
E.g.: It is thought that the company is planning a new advertising campaign./ The company is thought to be planning a new advertising campaign.
Some other verbs for this structure: agree, allege, announce, assure, believe, consider, decide, expect, explain, hope, know, report, say, suggest, suppose, think, understand.
| The Causative Have / Get something done. E.g.: I’m having my car repaired. I got my hair cut yesterday. I have had my house painted. The only difference in use between have and get is that have is more formal. | ||
