The passive voice

THE PASSIVE VOICE
1/ The passive voice is implemented to express the idea that the action is more important than the doer. Therefore, the doer is most of the time omitted

2/ Note not all actions can be expressed in the passive voice. Only actions expressed with transitive verbs (verbs that need a complement of object) are put in the passive voice.

e.g.: 1 - I live alone in a small house near the forest. There is neither electricity nor gas. And I have no TV and no computer. I often feel bored because I have nothing to do in my free time. So, I usually work with my father at the farm.
* The verbs in this paragraph are intransitive. Thus, we cannot transform them in the passive voice.

2 – At the farm, I feed the animals; I clean the stable; I irrigate the trees; I also **** meals.
* The verbs in this one are transitive. Thus, we can transform them in the passive voice.
- At the farm, the animals are fed; the stable is cleaned, the trees are irrigated; and meals are also prepared.

3/ The passive sentence is as follows:
Subject (not the doer) + be (in the tense of active verb) + verb (past participle) + by + agent.
4/ Here is the passive voice of the most used tenses.

ACTIVE VOICE
PASSIVE VOICE

1- Simple present
Farmers produce organic crops.

We learn English everywhere.
2- Present continuous
Farmers are producing organic crops.
We are learning English everywhere.

3- Present perfect
Farmers have produced organic crops.
We have learnt English everywhere.

4- Simple past
Farmers produced organic crops.
We learnt English everywhere.
5- Future simple
Farmers will produce organic crops.
We will learn English everywhere.
6- Modal verbs
Farmers can produce GMFs.
We may learn English everywhere.

1- Simple present
Organic crops are produced by farmers.
English is learnt everywhere.
2- Present continuous
Organic crops are being produced by farmers.
English is being learnt everywhere.
3- Present perfect
Organic crops have been produced by farmers.
English has been learnt everywhere.

4- Simple past
Organic crops were produced by farmers.
English was learnt everywhere.
5- Future simple
Organic crops will be produced by farmers.
English will be learnt everywhere.
6- Modal verbs
GMFs can be produced by farmers.
English may be learnt everywhere.

TASK: Complete sentence 'b' so as it means the same as sentence 'a'.
1/a- Some world governments imposed an eco-tax on polluting industries years before.

b- An eco-tax on polluting industries........................................ ..............

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2/a-The French authorities have already banned advertising on public TV channels.

b- Advertising....................................... ...............................................

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3/a- We use computers to learn, to communicate and to entertain ourselves.

b- Computers......................................... ............................................

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4/a- In developed countries, consumers can buy goods through the internet.

b- Goods............................................. .............................................

……………………………………………….
5/a- President Bush was visiting a school when his body guards informed him about the attack on the Pentagon and the Trade Center Buildings.

b- President Bush.............................................. .................................

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
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