PASSIVE (3rd / 4th Secondary)

La voz pasiva se suele utilizar cuando se considera más importante una acción que quien la realiza. Se utiliza además cuando se desconoce, se sobreentiende,  o no interesa mencionar quién o qué hace la acción.

Para pasar de activa a pasiva:

1) El Complememto directo pasa a ser sujeto
2) Se añade el auxiliar “to be” en el tiempo verbal de la voz activa.*
3) Se añade el participio del verbo principal *
4) El sujeto pasa a ser sujeto agente, introducido por la preposición BY

*(Para aquellos que preferís manejaros con una tabla de conversión verbal de activa-pasiva, cosa que no aconsejo, os dejo aquí un link que os llevará a una bastante completa. Tabla conversión verbal activa-pasiva)

Muchas veces no aparece el sujeto agente en la oración por ser evidente en el contexto o no aportar información importante.

                                                      The thieves were arrested (by the police)
                                                 The actor has been interviewed (by the reporter)

No todos los verbos se pueden utilizar en voz pasiva. Ésta es sólo posible con los verbos transitivos, es decir, con aquellos que necesitan ir acompañados de un complemento directo.

                                              

Si una oración tiene COMPLEMENTO DIRECTO E INDIRECTO, hay dos posibles pasivas, siendo la más usada aquella que tiene el sujeto humano, algo que no es posible en español. En esa pasiva que toma por sujeto el Complemento Directo, nos tendremos que ayudar de la preposición TO para presentar el indirecto. Mirad los ejemplos.

  
Active:        His parents gave him a present.  

  Pasiva 1:    He was given a present by his parents. 

 Pasiva 2:    A present was given TO him by his parents.  

Hello, guys!! This quiz will help you practice the passive voice.

Could you  ANSWER these questions? 

Good luck!!


1. When was America discovered?

2. In what year were the Olympic Games held in Barcelona? 

3. In what century was William Shakespeare born? 

4. Where was Coca-Cola invented? 

5. What is considered the highest mountain in the world?

6. Where are rubles used? 

7. In what country is Kiev located? 

8. In what country is Thai spoken by 92% of the population?

9. How many Harry Potter´s novels were written? 

10. When is Halloween celebrated? 

11. When is St Patrick´s Day celebrated? 

12. When is Thanksgiving Day celebrated? 

13. When was the Eiffel Tower built? 

14. Are the Channel Islands included in the “United Kingdom”? 

15. In what century was Australia settled by the British?

16. Where are most bananas produced? 

17. In what museum can La Gioconda painting be seen? 

18. How many stars and bars are represented in the flag of the USA?

19. What two ingredients are candy floss made of? 

20. What is the largest lake in the world called?

(http://www.english-area.com)

Passive exercises (all tenses) - (4th Year Secondary)

WRITE THE VERBS IN THE CORRECT PASSIVE TENSES.
1. My flat  (sell) last week.
2. The room (not paint) yet.
3. I think the results  (publish) early next week.
4. The door (always / lock) in the evening.
5. The votes (count) now.
6. Don Quixote  (write) by Cervantes.
7. When I arrived, the furniture (still / unload) from the removal lorry.
8. In the morning they realized that the painting (steal) during the night.
9. English (speak) in many countries around the world.
10. If you worked harder, your homework (finish) on time.

TURN THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES INTO PASSIVE VOICE.

1. They had won the race.
The race ...
2. He has seen two bulls this morning.
Two bulls ........................................ this morning.
3. I was buying the newspaper when I saw Mary this morning.
The newspaper .......................................when mary .................................this morning.
4. They are buying a new house this afternoon.
A new house ..................................this afternoon.
5. Paul has sold his two cars.
His two cars ...
6. I always put the glasses on the table.
The glasses ................................................. on the table.
7. I was feeding the animal yesterday at 10 o'clock.
The animal ............................................... yesterday at 10 o'clock.
8. She has given Paul a kiss this morning.
Paul ................................................ a kiss this morning. 
A kiss ................................................. to paul this morning.
9. They hid the treasure a long time ago.
The treasure ......................................... a long time ago.
10. They are studying English right now.
English ................................. right now.
11. They drank two pints at Paul's house.
Two pints .......................................... at paul's house.
12. He was driving his car when I phoned her.
His car .......................................when she ....................................
13. They have stolen all the food.
All the food .................................
14. You can't park cars in here.
Cars .......................................... in here.
15. You can't take photographs in this place.
Photographs ......................................... in this place.
16. The school must change these rules.
The rules ............................................... by school. 
17. You should repair the stairs.
The stairs ............................................
18. I have to mend this watch.
This watch ..........................................
19. Paul has written her a letter this week.
She ....................................................a letter this week. 
A letter ............................................. to Paul this week.
20. The manager is going to offer Sue a job.
Sue ....................................................a job 
A job ........................................ to sue.