Thanks Melanie Witt for the original presentation.

1. Passive Voice
The man ate the fish. (active)
The fish was eaten by the man. (passive)
The fish ate the man.
The man was eaten by the fish.

2. The object or receiver in the active sentence
becomes the subject in the passive sentence.
The fish ate the man.
The man was eaten by the fish.

3. ate
(Agent)
was
eaten
(Agent)

4. Why use passive?
1. Emphasize action or receiver (not agent)
2. Don’t know agent --“secret agent”
3. Talk about materials or origin of a product
4. Avoid blame; hide guilt

5. Why use passive?
#1 Emphasize action or receiver (not agent)
400 homes were destroyed by the wildfire.
That job has already been filled.
He was born in 1964.

6. Why use passive?
#2 Don’t know agent --“secret agent”
Several nearby banks have been robbed recently.
My car was stolen!

7. Why use passive?
#3 Talk about materials or origin of a product
That sweater is made of* cashmere.
The painting was made with oil and canvas.
* “made of” + fabric or materials; “made with” + tools

8. Why use passive?
#4 Avoid blame; hide guilt
A mistake was made.
Your tests have been lost.

9. Form of the Passive
• Surfers are attacked by sharks.
Be + past participle
Be can be in all verb tense:
is, are, am, was, were, has been, have been, etc.

10. Intransitive Verbs
Intransitive verbs =
a verb that is NOT followed by an object
Active: I slept very well.
Passive:
(NOT POSSIBLE)