Passive Voice — Advanced Practice
Repaso: Activa → Pasiva
- The object of the active → subject of the passive.
- Conjugate BE in the same tense as the active verb.
- Add the past participle.
- (Optional) Add by + agent.
Passive with ditransitive verbs (two objects)
- Active: They gave me a present.
- Passive 1: I was given a present. (most common)
- Passive 2: A present was given to me.
Passive with modal verbs
| Active | Passive |
|---|---|
| You must do the homework. | The homework must be done. |
| They can fix the problem. | The problem can be fixed. |
| We should clean the room. | The room should be cleaned. |
| They might cancel the event. | The event might be cancelled. |
When NOT to use the passive
- ❌ Intransitive verbs (without object): happen, arrive, die, sleep
The accident was happened.→ The accident happened.
- ❌ Cuando suena raro o innecesario:
A good time was had by us.→ We had a good time.
Pasiva impersonal (It is said that...)
| Active | Passive |
|---|---|
| People say he is rich. | It is said that he is rich. / He is said to be rich. |
| They believe she is innocent. | It is believed that she is innocent. |
| Everyone knows the answer. | It is known that... / The answer is known. |
Common collocations in passive
- be born: I was born in 1990.
- be made of/from: This table is made of wood.
- be known for: She is known for her kindness.
- be interested in: I am interested in art.
- be surprised at/by: We were surprised by the news.