Passive Voice Passive Voice Forms and ExamplesForms and Examples

• Present Simple• Present Continuous• Future (Will)

• Practice• Past Simple• Past Continuous• Present Perfect

• Practice• Passive Infinitive• Passive Gerund

• Practice

Positive : S + AM/IS/ARE + V3◦ The hotel rooms are cleaned every day.◦ I am disappointed by your behavior in class.◦ Henry is completely misunderstood by his girlfriend.

Negative : S + AM/IS/ARE + not + V3◦ Yuck! The hotel rooms aren’t cleaned every day! ◦ I’m not surprised that Robert is late --- again!◦ The office is not guarded at night.

Question : AM/IS/ARE (+not) + S + V3◦ Why aren’t the hotel rooms cleaned every day?◦ How often are the hotel rooms cleaned?◦ Am I expected to complete all of this homework tonight?

Present Simple PassivePresent Simple Passive

Positive : S + AM/IS/ARE + being + V3◦ The hotel rooms are being cleaned right now, yay!◦ Help! I’m being mugged!◦ It’s 9pm and she’s not here. Henry is being stood up by his

girlfriend.

Negative : S + AM/IS/ARE + not + being + V3◦ I’m not being listened to! I hate when the class is so noisy.◦ Everyone is being forced to pay higher tuition fees.

Question : AM/IS/ARE (+not) + S + being + V3◦ When are we being tested on this grammar? I need to study!◦ Why isn’t the electricity being fixed? It’s been dark for an

hour!◦ Is lunch being prepared? I want to eat soon.

Present Continuous PassivePresent Continuous Passive

Positive : S + will be + V3◦ Your hotel room will be cleaned after 11am.◦ Henry will never be cheated on by his girlfriend again,

because he is breaking up with her.◦ Nobody will be helped during the proficiency exam.

Negative : S + won’t be + V3◦ Sarah won’t be told about the time change unless I tell her.◦ The building won’t be destroyed, it will be restored.

Question : will/won’t + S + be + V3◦ Why will the department be moved? We don’t want to move!◦ Will the construction be completed in time for the

conference?◦ Won’t a new election be held this year? It’s time for one!

Future (Will) PassiveFuture (Will) Passive

1. I hate that your boss is working you so hard!!

2. How often do the voters elect a new prime minister?

3. When will they finally finish the new Airport? 4. The fact that you got a low grade doesn’t surprise me.

Convert from active to passiveConvert from active to passive

How often is a new prime minister elected?

When will the new Airport finally be finished?

I’m not surprised (by the fact) that you got a low grade.

I hate that you are being worked so hard by your boss!!

Positive : S + WAS/WERE+ V3◦Seven people were killed in the bus crash.◦I was thrilled to be accepted at ITU!

◦ (also includes a passive infinitive!)

Negative : S + WAS/WERE + not + V3◦Sadly, my sister wasn’t accepted at ITU. ◦The protesters were forced to leave the square.

Question : WAS/WERE (+ not) + S + V3◦How often were you punished as a child?◦Were you treated differently from your siblings?◦Wasn’t the Statue of Liberty designed by a French

man?

Past Simple PassivePast Simple Passive

Positive : S + WAS/WERE + being + V3◦Many protesters were being gassed by the police.◦Last night I was being followed by a strange man!

Negative : S + WAS/WERE + not + being + V3◦Henry wasn’t being treated nicely by his girlfriend, so

he broke up with her.◦The children were not being looked after carefully, and

they were running out into the street.◦ (includes passive and active forms!)

Question : WAS/WERE (+not) + S + being + V3◦Weren’t the children being watched by their aunt?◦Was the metro being built when you moved here?

Past Continuous PassivePast Continuous Passive

Positive : S + HAS/HAVE + been + V3◦ I’ve never been scared like I was when watching that movie

last night!◦ All students have been informed about the attendance rules,

so you have no excuse for not understanding.

Negative : S + HAS/HAVE + not + been+ V3◦ We have not yet been asked for our opinions about the new

textbooks. ◦ He hasn’t been taken on a date for six months.

Question : HAS/HAVE (+not) + S + been + V3◦Why haven’t the students been given their grades? The

exam was two weeks ago.◦Have the election results been announced? ◦Why hasn’t the heat been turned on yet? The building is

so cold!

Present Perfect PassivePresent Perfect Passive

1. European factories often hired child workers until World War II.

2. How long was your girlfriend yelling at you yesterday?

3. People have never fully understood the art of Mark Rothko.

Convert from active to passiveConvert from active to passive

How long were you being yelled at by your girlfriend yesterday?

Mark Rothko’s art has never fully been understood.

Child workers were often hired by European factories until World War II.

Positive : To be + V3◦ I was thrilled to be accepted at ITU. ◦ The building needs to be completed before the spring

semester.◦ Often students want to be allowed to come late to class. ◦ Marilyn has finally managed to be respected by her

employees after being their boss for 6 months.

Negative : To not be + V3◦ It’s painful to not be believed when you are telling the truth.◦ The shoplifter tried to not be seen while stealing the clothes.◦ Survey takers are allowed to not be named if they want.

They can take the survey anonymously.

Passive InfinitivePassive Infinitive

Positive : being + V3◦She thinks that being told what to do is insulting.◦Most people like being given gifts.◦Happiness is being loved by the same people whom

you love.◦Being thrown off a motorcycle is very dangerous.◦ I have hated being laughed at for my entire life.

Negative : not being + V3◦Many people are worried about not being taken care of

when they are elderly.◦Not being understood by one’s parents can be difficult

for a teenager.◦ I know that not being accepted at Bogazici University

was a disappointment for you, but ITU is good too.

Passive GerundPassive Gerund

1. By yelling loudly, she finally managed ______ (HEAR) in the noisy classroom.

2. Are you angry about ______ (LISTEN TO) by your elected government representatives?

3. The disabled citizen demanded ______ (CONSIDER) in the city’s urban planning. 4. The princess hated _____ (FORCE) to marry the selfish, egotistical prince.

5. It can be annoying _____ (SERVE) for a long time in a restaurant.

Passive infinitive or passive gerund?Passive infinitive or passive gerund?

not being listened to

to be considered

to be heard

being forced

not to be served