Formation of the Passive Voice in English.
1.3. Formation of the Passive Voice in English.
If we compare formation of the active and passive voices, we’ll see, that the active voice has no special means of formation, so it has 12 tense forms. As to the passive voice, the formula for its formation is:
auxiliary verb to be + participle II of the notional verb
MIND!
1. Participle II of the notional verb remains unchanged.
2. Comparing with the Active Voice the Passive Voice has only 8 tense forms (there are no Future Continuous, Present, Past and Future Continuous Passive). All tense forms in the Passive Voice are analytical.
The voice forms of the verb
Tense/ Aspect
The Active Voice
The Passive Voice
Present
Past
Future
Present
Past
Future
Indefinite
take/takes
took
will take
am taken
is taken
are taken
was taken
were taken
will be taken
Continuous
am taking
is taking
are taking
was taking
were taking
will be taking
am being taken
is being taken
are being taken
was being taken
were being taken
--
Perfect
have taken
has taken
had taken
will have taken
have been taken
has been taken
had been taken
will have been taken
Perfect Continuous
have been taking
has been taking
had been
taking
will have been
taking
--
--
--
1.4. Reasons for using the Passive Voice.
The Passive Voice is used in the following cases:
1. You have no choice: you often can’t use the Active Voice if you don’t know who performed the action.
· The bicycle was left beside the road (we don’t know who performs the action, who left the bicycle beside the road).
2. You are writing in an academic or scientific context. - The Passive Voice makes the writing sound more humble and puts the focus on the research instead of researchers.
· Active Voice: We discovered interesting results.
· Passive Voice: Interesting results were discovered.
3. In everyday life when you want to focus on a happening, not on who or what did it:
· This ring is made of gold.
(We are concerned about the ring, but not who made it).
4. When you want to avoid vague subjects: they, one, someone, etc.
· The house is lived in (not someone lives in the house)
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