The passive voice upper-intermediate - p. 1 The passive voice upper-intermediate - p.

1 FORM: 4 PREPOSITIONS. When a verb + particle is put into the passive, the
We form passive verbs with the required tense of (be) + p. participle. particle will remain immediately after the verb.
(active) They have signed the contract. (active) We must write to him.
(passive) The contract has been signed. (the object of the active verb (passive) He must be written to.
becomes the subject of the passive verb)
5 PASSIVE WITH REPORTING VERBS:
After modal verbs and verbs followed by to (have to, be going to, want to, They/ People… + say/ believe… (that)… These expressions are frequently
would like to, etc) we use the passive infinitive form: be + p. participle. used in the passive in formal speaking and writing. We can use two
(active) Nobody could identify the robbers. different forms (the second one is much more useful):
(passive) The robbers couldn't be identified. (active) People say that Mr Ross is rich.
(passive 1) It is said that Mr Ross is rich.
(active) We will have to spend the money on security cameras. (impersonal It + passive + that-clause)
(passive) The money will have to be spent on security cameras. (passive 2) Mr Ross is said to be rich. (S + passive + to-infinitive)

2 USE. The passive is used:
a When we do not know who or what does something.
My car was stolen last night. (I don't know who.)
b When we are not interested in who or what does something.
Sarah has been invited to the party.
c When we don't want to say who or what does something.
A mistake was made. (I or somebody I know made a mistake.)
Note that we use by + agent only when it is important to say who or
what is responsible for something. (It is used two times out of ten).
Other verbs which are used in this pattern are: believe, consider, estimate,
expect, fear, feel (=think), know, report, say, think, understand, etc.
When the thought refers to a previous action, we use:
passive + perfect infinitive.
(active) They think that two children died in the accident.
(passive 2) Two children are thought to have died in the accident.
(active) People believed the fire started late at night.
(passive 2) The fire was believed to have started late at night.

3 VERBS WITH TWO OBJECTS. We can make two different passive 6 Have/Get something done. This useful construction is used with a
sentences with verbs like these: give, offer, promise, send, show, teach, passive meaning. It is used for things we do not do for ourselves. We
tell… cannot cut our own hair very easily, for example, so we go to the
(active) Someone gave Jimmy the money. barber's or the hairdresser's. Compare:
(passive 1) The money was given to Jim. The hairdresser is cutting her hair.
(impersonal subject: less usual) She is having her hair cut.
(passive 2) Jim was given the money. There is not much difference between get and have. Get suggests making
(personal subject: more usual) more effort, while have is more passive. Compare:
I'm going to the hairdresser's to get my hair cut.
I had my hair cut yesterday.