Active and Passive Structures

Shingo Grammar

Passive and Active Forms

Active and Passive structures:

They built this house in 1486.

This house was built in 1486.

Channel Islanders speak French and English.

French is spoken in France, Belgium, Switzerland, and the Channel Islands.

A friend of ours is repairing the roof.

The roof is being repaired by a friend of ours.

This book will change your life.

Your life will be changed by this book.

Shingo Grammar

Passive and Active Forms

Formation: The object of an active verb corresponds to the subject of a passive verb: object

They built the house in 1486. This house was built in 1486. subject

Passive verb forms:

Tense Simple present Present progressive Simple past Past progressive Present perfect Past perfect Will future Future perfect

Structure Am/are/is + pp

Example English is spoken here.

Am/are/is being + pp Was/were + pp Was/were/being+ pp

Excuse the mess; the house is being painted. I wasn’t invited, but I went anyway. I felt as if I was being watched.

Have/has been+ pp

Has Mary been told?

Had been+ pp Will be+ pp Will have been+ pp

Going future

Am/are/is be+ pp

I knew why I had been chosen. You’ll be told when the time comes. Everything will have been done by Tuesday. Who’s going to be invited?

to

going

to