English grammar – Passive

be + verb 3 (past participle)

The verb be takes the same form as the main verb in the active voice.

• Active: My mother washes my clothes.
  Passive: My clothes are washed by my mother.
• Active: My mother has washed my clothes.
  Passive: My clothes have been washed by my mother.
• Active: My mother will wash my clothes.
  Passive: My clothes will be washed by my mother.
• Active: My mother was washing my clothes.
  Passive: My clothes were being washed by my mother.

If there are two objects in the active sentence, two passive sentences are possible.

• Active: They gave me 50 dollars to do it.
• Passive: I was given 50 dollars to do it.
• Passive: 50 dollars was given to me to do it.

Get is often used instead of be in informal spoken English.

• I got offered the promotion!
• The table got damaged in the fire.
• I got asked to present the award.

The subject of the active verb (sometimes called the agent) is not usually expressed in passive sentences, because it is unknown or unimportant. However, if it is used, it is usually preceded with BY.

• The painting was done by Picasso.

When we talk about a tool used by an agent, it can be preceded by with.

• The painting was done with oils on canvas.

Meaning

Passive is used when who or what causes the action is not important or is not known, or when we want to focus on the action.

• The rubbish is taken out every day. (we don’t know who takes the rubbish out, or maybe it’s not important)
• The Great Wall of China was built thousands of years ago. (it’s not important exactly who built it, we want to focus on the action of building)
• All my money has been stolen. (I don’t know who stole it, I want to emphasise the action of stealing)
• My windows are cleaned once a month. (it’s not important who cleans them. The action of cleaning is more important)

Related grammar points

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Windows washed by mother

1) Computers are sold in many different stores.

2) English is spoken almost everywhere.

3) Are these shoes designed in Portugal?

4) Less ice-cream is eaten in the winter.

5) Spanish is taught in my school too.

6) Fashionable clothes are worn both by boys and girls.

7) Many people are influenced by the media.

8) Lots of TV is watched nowadays.

1) Linda is taken to school every day.

2) The shops aren’t closed on Saturdays.

3) When is the dog fed (by Mike)?

4) Every competition is won by Michael.

5) New things are invented all the time.

6) Is your breakfast always prepared by your mother?

7) School uniforms aren’t worn in this school.

8) His money is kept in a safe place.

9) All my clothes are bought by my mother.

10) Are safety-pins sold in your store?

1) He didn’t find his files. His files weren’t found.

2) He washed his car on Sunday. His car was washed on Sunday.

3) I didn’t paint the whole room. The whole room wasn’t painted.

4) My grandfather repaired the old clock. The old clock was repaired (by my grandfather).

5) John took a lot of photos at the party. A lot of photos were taken at the party (by John).

6) Richard broke the window. The window was broken by Richard.

7) The detective solved the case. The case was solved (by the detective).

8) I didn’t make my bed this morning. My bed wasn’t made this morning.

9) They bought the tickets yesterday. The tickets were bought yesterday.

10) The Smith drove the children to school. The children were driven to school (by the Smith).

11) Someone stole his wallet. His wallet was stolen.

12) Slaves built these pyramids. These pyramids were built by slaves.

Концептуальные правила грамматики

1. В английском языке всегда есть подлежащее и сказуемое

2. при этом на первом месте стоит подлежащее, а на втором сказуемое, далее идут дополнения и обстоятельства

В связи с тем, что в английском языке нет окончаний, смена порядка слов может привести к полному непониманию.

Т.е. если в русск. яз. предложения:

одинаковы по значению и нам вполне понятны, то в английском языке предложения:

My mother washes the window.

имеют противоположное значение, при этом второе предложение вообще не имеет смысла.

3. В русском языке широко используются безличные предложения, то есть предложения, в которых отсутствует один из главных членов предложения:

«В комнате один стол.»

В английском языке безличные предложения невозможны. В этом случае используется глагол связка to be, безличное подлежащие It, или конструкция There is/there are и т.д.

Я студент. I am a student.

Холодно. It’s cold.

Это важно. It’s important.

В комнате один стол. There is a table in the room.

4. Переводить с одного языка на другой дословно нельзя. Все языки очень отличаются друг от друга грамматическим строем, словарным составом и т.д., т.к. и наши культуры очень отличаются по объективным географическим, политическим, экономическим, историческим и другим причинам. Поэтому бесполезно задавать вопрос: «А как переводится слово «есть»? Это слово переводится по-разному в разных контекстах и ситуациях. Необходимо переводить идеи, мысли, а не отдельные слова.

У меня есть дочь. I have a daughter.

Как мы видим из примера, мы не переводим отдельно слово «есть». Русской грамматической конструкции «У меня есть дочь» соответствует английская грамматическая конструкция I have a daughter. (дословно: «я имею дочь»).

Еще один пример:

Меня зовут Таня. My name is Tanya.

В данном случае неуместны вопросы: «А как перевести слово «меня» и «зовут»?

5. В каждом языке слова многозначны. В этом можно убедиться, открыв толковый словарь любого языка. При этом объем значений не совпадает:

В выше предложенных примерах перечислены не все возможные значения форм.

В английском языке, кроме того, в связи с тем, что количество окончаний ограничено, одна форма часто используется как разные части речи:

work – сущ. (что?): работа, труд, дело, занятие и др.

прил. (какой?): рабочий

глагол (что делать?): работать, трудиться, действовать и др.

О значении слов на английском языке:

Windows washed by mother

1) Computers are sold in many different stores.

2) English is spoken almost everywhere.

3) Are these shoes designed in Portugal?

4) Less ice-cream is eaten in the winter.

5) Spanish is taught in my school too.

6) Fashionable clothes are worn both by boys and girls.

7) Many people are influenced by the media.

8) Lots of TV is watched nowadays.

1) Linda is taken to school every day.

2) The shops aren’t closed on Saturdays.

3) When is the dog fed (by Mike)?

4) Every competition is won by Michael.

5) New things are invented all the time.

6) Is your breakfast always prepared by your mother?

7) School uniforms aren’t worn in this school.

8) His money is kept in a safe place.

9) All my clothes are bought by my mother.

10) Are safety-pins sold in your store?

1) He didn’t find his files. His files weren’t found.

2) He washed his car on Sunday. His car was washed on Sunday.

3) I didn’t paint the whole room. The whole room wasn’t painted.

4) My grandfather repaired the old clock. The old clock was repaired (by my grandfather).

5) John took a lot of photos at the party. A lot of photos were taken at the party (by John).

6) Richard broke the window. The window was broken by Richard.

7) The detective solved the case. The case was solved (by the detective).

8) I didn’t make my bed this morning. My bed wasn’t made this morning.

9) They bought the tickets yesterday. The tickets were bought yesterday.

10) The Smith drove the children to school. The children were driven to school (by the Smith).

11) Someone stole his wallet. His wallet was stolen.

12) Slaves built these pyramids. These pyramids were built by slaves.

English grammar – Passive

be + verb 3 (past participle)

The verb be takes the same form as the main verb in the active voice.

• Active: My mother washes my clothes.
  Passive: My clothes are washed by my mother.
• Active: My mother has washed my clothes.
  Passive: My clothes have been washed by my mother.
• Active: My mother will wash my clothes.
  Passive: My clothes will be washed by my mother.
• Active: My mother was washing my clothes.
  Passive: My clothes were being washed by my mother.

If there are two objects in the active sentence, two passive sentences are possible.

• Active: They gave me 50 dollars to do it.
• Passive: I was given 50 dollars to do it.
• Passive: 50 dollars was given to me to do it.

Get is often used instead of be in informal spoken English.

• I got offered the promotion!
• The table got damaged in the fire.
• I got asked to present the award.

The subject of the active verb (sometimes called the agent) is not usually expressed in passive sentences, because it is unknown or unimportant. However, if it is used, it is usually preceded with BY.

• The painting was done by Picasso.

When we talk about a tool used by an agent, it can be preceded by with.

• The painting was done with oils on canvas.

Meaning

Passive is used when who or what causes the action is not important or is not known, or when we want to focus on the action.

• The rubbish is taken out every day. (we don’t know who takes the rubbish out, or maybe it’s not important)
• The Great Wall of China was built thousands of years ago. (it’s not important exactly who built it, we want to focus on the action of building)
• All my money has been stolen. (I don’t know who stole it, I want to emphasise the action of stealing)
• My windows are cleaned once a month. (it’s not important who cleans them. The action of cleaning is more important)

Related grammar points

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