SPECIAL PASSIVE

1) ODER PASSIVE

Positive form

Active: Verb + object

Passive: Let + object + be + past participle

Example:

- Speak English. (active)

- Let English be spoken. (passive)

- Drink beer. (active)

- Let beer be drunk. (passive)

Negative form

Active: Don’t + verb + object

Passive: Let + object + not + be + past participle

Example:

- Don’t eat pizza. (active)

- Let pizza not be eaten. (passive)

- Don’t use computer. (active)

- Let computer not be used. (passive)

2) INVINITIVE PASSIVE:

Active: Subject + verb + to-infinitive + object

Passive: Subject + verb + object + to-be + past participle

Example

- He wants to play football. (active)

- He wants football to be played. (passive)

- My brother expects to find a job soon. (active)

- My brother expects a job to be found soon. (passive)

NOTE: When we want to form question, we use auxiliary verb do, does, did, and negative sentence we use auxiliary verb do, does, did + not + infinitive.

Example:

- Do you need your computer to be updated? (active)

- Did our manager start to be respected? (passive)

- She does not want our books to be printed. (active)

- They did not take the car to be repainted. (passive)

3) GERUND PASSIVE:

Active: Subject + verb + gerund + object

Passive: Subject + verb + object + being + past participle

Example:

- We like having lunch at a restaurant. (active)

- We like lunch being had at a restaurant. (passive)

- He admitted breaking the window. (active)

- He admitted the window being broken. (passive)

NOTE: When we want to form question, we use auxiliary verb do, does, did, and negative sentence we use auxiliary verb do, does, did + not + infinitive.

4) TWO-DIFFERENT-PATTERN PASSIVE WITH AN ACTIVE SENTENCE

In an active sentence, a verb of giving can have two different patterns after it. They both have the same meaning.

Active:

- The Queen gave a medal to the businessman.

- The Queen gave the businessman a medal.

Passive:

- A medal was given to the businessman.

- The businessman was given a medal.

NOTE: Either a medal or the businessman can be the subject of a passive sentence.

Verbs in this pattern are:

give, send, pay, lend, hand, sell, promise, show, offer, teach, owe, award, grant, allow, leave (in a will) and feed.

5) IT IS SAID (THAT) … or HE IS SAID TO …

We can use a special pattern with verbs of reporting when we do not need to know who is doing the reporting.

Example:

- People say the bridge is unsafe. (active)

- It is said the bridge is unsafe, or the bridge is said to be unsafe. (passive)

- Most students expect the result is good. (active)

- It is expected the result is good, or the result is expected to be good. (passive)

Verbs in this pattern are:

say, report, mention, announce, think, believe, understand, agree, decide, know, find, expect, hope, regret, fear, intend, arrange…

NOTE: The verbs write in bold are only used in the infinitive pattern.