The Passive Voice

We use the passive when:

► the action is more important than who or what is
responsible for it (the agent)

(apa yang berlaku lebih penting dari siapa atau apa yang bertanggungjawab)

e.g. Two people were injured during the robbery.

► we don’t know the agent, or it is not important.

(kita tidak ketahui penyebab / ia tidak penting)

e.g. You can use the computer now. it was repaired
yesterday.

The difference between Active and Passive Voice







 There is no passive form for

 We can change an active sentence into a passive
sentence in the following way.

e.g. They are watching us! (Active Voice)
*( In this example (e.g), we do not know who is watching us Not very important)

Text book page 169 & 179 (9.1 & 9.2)

Note:

When we want to change (1) a sentence that has two
objects into passive voice, (2)one object will become the
subject and another remains an object.

e.g. (1) He gave me a video camera. (Active Voice)

(subject) (verb) (object) (object)

(2) I was given a video camera. (Passive Voice)

(subject) (verb) (object)

If the personal object remains an object in passive sentence,

we have to use suitable preposition (to, for, etc).

A video camera was given to me.

(subject) ( verb) (preposition) (personal object)

Text book page 169 & 179 (9.1 & 9.2)

• Sometimes if we want to mention the agent (who or what) is
responsible for the action in passive sentences, we use by before
the agent. (Kekadang jika kita perlu menyatakan agen (siapa / apa) yang

bertanggungjawab melakukan sesuatu, kita perlu gunakan ‘by’ sebelum agen tersebut).

e.g. Alexander Graham Bell invented the telephone. (Active)
The telephone was invented by Alexender Graham Bell. (Passive)

 Sometimes if we want to mention a tool or material in passive
sentences, we use with. (Kekadang jika kita perlu menyatakan benda atau barangan,

kita perlu gunakan ‘with’).

e.g. The window was broken with a rock. (passive)
The room was painted with a new kind of paint. (passive)

Text book page 169 & 179 (9.1 & 9.2)