Lesson 10 Title: Advanced Use of Passive Voice
Subtitle: Lesson 10
Presented by: Fatima
Contact Information: blackboarder1@gmail.com

Introduction to Passive Voice

• Definition of passive voice

• Difference between active and passive voice

• Importance of passive voice in formal writing and speaking

Passive voice occurs when the focus is on the action, rather than who or what is performing the action. It’s often used when the subject is unknown, unimportant, or obvious from the context.

For example:

Active Voice:
The committee approved the proposal.

Passive Voice:
The proposal was approved by the committee.

Understanding how and when to use the passive voice will help you write more formally and professionally, which is especially useful in academic and business contexts.

Basic Structure:
Subject
+ Form of 'to be'
+ Past Participle
+ 'by' + Agent

Examples:
◦ The report was written by the researcher.
◦ The results have been analyzed thoroughly.

Tense and Aspect in Passive:
Adapting the form of 'to be' according to tense
◦ present
◦ past
◦ future
◦ etc.

Here are some examples:

Present Simple:
The report is written by the researcher.

Past Simple:
The report was written by the researcher.

Present Perfect:
The report has been written by the researcher.

Future Simple:
The report will be written by the researcher.

Notice that the form of 'to be' changes depending on the tense, but the past participle stays the same.

The agent (the person or thing doing the action) can be included with 'by,' but it’s often omitted if it’s not important or already known.

The passive voice is particularly useful in the following situations:

Emphasizing the Action:
When the action is more important than who performed it.

The new policy was implemented across the company.

Unknown or Unimportant Agent:
When the doer of the action is unknown, irrelevant, or obvious from context.

The window was broken. (It’s not important who broke it.)

Formal and Academic Writing:
The passive voice is common in academic, scientific, and formal writing, where the focus is often on processes, findings, and results.

The data was analyzed using advanced statistical methods.

1. Convert Active to Passive
Convert the following active sentences to passive voice:

1. The company will launch a new product next year.
2. Researchers discovered a new species in the Amazon rainforest.
3. The chef prepared a special dish for the guests.

2. Active or Passive?
Identify whether the following sentences are in active or passive voice:

1. The contract was signed by both parties.
2. They will announce the results tomorrow.
3. The homework has been completed.

Now that you’re comfortable with basic passive voice structures, let’s look at some advanced forms:

Passive with Modals:
The report must be submitted by Friday.

Passive with Infinitives:
The work is expected to be completed soon.

Passive with Gerunds:
She hates being told what to do.

As you advance in your English learning, these forms will become increasingly important, especially in professional and academic contexts.

1. Rewrite the following sentences using passive voice with modals:

1. You must complete the assignment by Monday.
2. They can solve the problem quickly.

2. Transform the following sentences into passive voice with infinitives:

1. We expect them to finish the project on time.
2. The manager wants the employees to attend the meeting.

Rewrite the following sentences using passive voice with gerunds:

1. People enjoy telling him what to do.
2. They hate cleaning the house.

Academic Writing:
◦ Reports
◦ theses
◦ research papers

Example: The experiment was conducted over six months.

Professional Communication:
◦ Emails
◦ proposals
◦ presentations

Example: The proposal has been approved by the management team.

Media and Journalism:
Focusing on events and results rather than sources.

Example: The law was passed unanimously by the legislature.

Everyday Situations:
Giving instructions or discussing processes.

Example: The ingredients should be mixed thoroughly before baking.

By applying the passive voice correctly, you’ll be able to communicate more effectively and professionally in your academic, professional, and everyday interactions.

To conclude today’s class, let’s summarize the key points:

• Definition and structure of passive voice.

• When to use passive voice effectively.

• Advanced passive structures
◦ modals
◦ infinitives
◦ gerunds.

• Real-life applications in various contexts.

In our next class, we will continue to build on these skills by Expressing Hypotheticals and Speculation