The passive
THE FORM: an appropriate tense of be + past participle (the 3rd form of verbs)
Present Simple
The streets are cleaned everyday.
Present Continuous
Our TV set is being repaired at the moment.
Past Simple
The school was built in 1985.
Past Continuous
The school was being built from 1980 to 1985.
Present Perfect
Many political prisoners have been released recently.
Past Perfect
The book had been written by the end of 1999.
Future will
The results of the exam will be announced on Monday.
Future Perfect
The new stadium will have been built by 2005.
Going to
The problem is going to be solved.
Modals
The house must be cleaned.
Passive Infinitive
He agreed to be interviewed on television.
Passive Gerund
I hate being shouted at.
We avoid using the passive in more complex verb forms such as: the Present Perfect Continuous, the Past Perfect Continuous, the Future Continuous and the Future Perfect Continuous.
THE USE
We use the passive in the following situations:
Ř when the agent of the action is obvious (wykonawca czynności jest oczywisty)
The murderer was arrested yesterday.(by the police)
Ř when the action is more important than the agent (sama czynność / samo wydarzenie lub ich skutki są ważniejsze niż wykonawca)
These reports must be sent immediately.(by anyone)
Ř when we do not want to mention the agent responsible for the action (“kryjemy” wykonawcę; chcemy by sprawca uniknął odpowiedzialności za swój czyn)
Your calculator has been broken.
Ř when we want to emphasize the agent responsible for the action [+by] (chcemy podkreśliś, kto jest wykonawcą czynności)
Your calculator has been broken by Peter, not by Tom.
Ř in formal situations: reports; official announcements; scientific tests (kiedy sytuacja wymaga formalnego, bezosobowego stylu)
Fees must be paid in advance.
SPECIAL PASSIVE STRUCTURES
‘have something done’
We use this structure when something is done for us by someone else, often as a professional service. The structure has a passive meaning and can be used with different tenses.
I have my car washed twice a week.
He is having his office repainted at the moment.
She had central heating installed last week.
They have just had the photocopier repaired.
He will have his passport photos taken tomorrow.
I’m going to have my house renovated.
We can use get instead of have. Get is more informal.
I had / got my shoes mended.
We can also use ‘have something done’ with the meaning ‘experience something’, often something unpleasant.
We had all our money stolen.
‘need + -ing’
This structure has an active form but a passive meaning.
The bicycle needs oiling. (= The bicycle needs to be oiled.)
‘I was given…’
It is normal in English for a person to be the subject in a passive sentence. (w języku polskim nie powiemy: zostałam dana kwiaty
Ann was given beautiful flowers.
I have been awarded a prize for my essay.
‘It is said that…’
We use this structure when we cannot say or do not need to say who the speaker is, for example in news reports.
It is said that Bill is in love with Mary. (= People say that Bill is in love with Mary).
It was reported that the Queen was seriously ill.
‘He is said to…’
Bill is said to be in love with Mary.
The Queen was reported to be seriously ill.
He is thought to have broken into the bank. (= People think he broke into the bank).
Now, do the following test to practise using passive forms.
TEST
Present Simple
The streets are cleaned everyday.
Present Continuous
Our TV set is being repaired at the moment.
Past Simple
The school was built in 1985.
Past Continuous
The school was being built from 1980 to 1985.
Present Perfect
Many political prisoners have been released recently.
Past Perfect
The book had been written by the end of 1999.
Future will
The results of the exam will be announced on Monday.
Future Perfect
The new stadium will have been built by 2005.
Going to
The problem is going to be solved.
Modals
The house must be cleaned.
Passive Infinitive
He agreed to be interviewed on television.
Passive Gerund
I hate being shouted at.
We avoid using the passive in more complex verb forms such as: the Present Perfect Continuous, the Past Perfect Continuous, the Future Continuous and the Future Perfect Continuous.
THE USE
We use the passive in the following situations:
Ř when the agent of the action is obvious (wykonawca czynności jest oczywisty)
The murderer was arrested yesterday.(by the police)
Ř when the action is more important than the agent (sama czynność / samo wydarzenie lub ich skutki są ważniejsze niż wykonawca)
These reports must be sent immediately.(by anyone)
Ř when we do not want to mention the agent responsible for the action (“kryjemy” wykonawcę; chcemy by sprawca uniknął odpowiedzialności za swój czyn)
Your calculator has been broken.
Ř when we want to emphasize the agent responsible for the action [+by] (chcemy podkreśliś, kto jest wykonawcą czynności)
Your calculator has been broken by Peter, not by Tom.
Ř in formal situations: reports; official announcements; scientific tests (kiedy sytuacja wymaga formalnego, bezosobowego stylu)
Fees must be paid in advance.
SPECIAL PASSIVE STRUCTURES
‘have something done’
We use this structure when something is done for us by someone else, often as a professional service. The structure has a passive meaning and can be used with different tenses.
I have my car washed twice a week.
He is having his office repainted at the moment.
She had central heating installed last week.
They have just had the photocopier repaired.
He will have his passport photos taken tomorrow.
I’m going to have my house renovated.
We can use get instead of have. Get is more informal.
I had / got my shoes mended.
We can also use ‘have something done’ with the meaning ‘experience something’, often something unpleasant.
We had all our money stolen.
‘need + -ing’
This structure has an active form but a passive meaning.
The bicycle needs oiling. (= The bicycle needs to be oiled.)
‘I was given…’
It is normal in English for a person to be the subject in a passive sentence. (w języku polskim nie powiemy: zostałam dana kwiaty
Ann was given beautiful flowers.
I have been awarded a prize for my essay.
‘It is said that…’
We use this structure when we cannot say or do not need to say who the speaker is, for example in news reports.
It is said that Bill is in love with Mary. (= People say that Bill is in love with Mary).
It was reported that the Queen was seriously ill.
‘He is said to…’
Bill is said to be in love with Mary.
The Queen was reported to be seriously ill.
He is thought to have broken into the bank. (= People think he broke into the bank).
Now, do the following test to practise using passive forms.
TEST
