PASSIVE VOICE

A) El uso de la pasiva es muy frecuente en ingls. Se forma con el verbo to be + el participio pasado
del verbo principal.
-

Everybody does the exercises.
The exercises are done.

We cleaned the rooms.

The rooms were cleaned.

Nota: Al pasar una oracin a pasiva ponemos el verbo to be en el mismo tiempo que tena el verbo principal en
activa.

B) A veces tambin aadimos al final el complemento agente con la preposicin by cuando la

persona que realiza la accin, el agente, es importante y se desea atraer la atencin sobre ella,
por ejemplo un artista, un escritor, etc.
- Shakespeare wrote these poems.

These poems were written by Shakespeare.

C) Usos de la voz pasiva:

1.
-

Cuando el que realiza la accin, el agente, es obvio o desconocido o poco importante.

My house was painted. (obviamente por un pintor)
My purse was stolen.
(no se quin)
The letters were typed. (no importa quin lo hizo)

2.

Para destacar la accin o el objeto ms que la persona que la hizo, de manera que aparezca como
algo ms impersonal.
The room must be cleaned. (mejor que: You must clean the room)

Consejos:
1.

Al poner en pasiva una frase interrogativa recuerda que debes empezar por el auxiliar como lo
haras en voz activa.

- Are they preparing the meal?

- Did anybody bring the parcel?
2.

Is the meal being prepared?

Was the parcel brought?

Si la pasiva es negativa, siempre debes poner el adverbio not con el primer auxiliar.

- They are not making the meal.

The meal is not being made.
- Nobody could understand the question.
The question could not be understood.
D) Ciertos verbos como give, lend, offer, pay, promise, send, show, etc., suelen ir seguidos de dos
complementos, uno de persona (indirecto) y uno de cosa (directo).
-

They gave John (indirecto) a warm welcome (directo).

La forma ms frecuente de poner este tipo de frases en pasiva es que el complemento indirecto de la
oracin activa se convierta en sujeto de la pasiva.

John was given a warm welcome. (= A Juan se le di una calurosa bienvenida)
La otra forma, la que sera semejante a la nuestra, es mucho menos frecuente, y el complemento
indirecto debe ir precedido de la preposicin to.

A warm welcome was given to John.

E) Algunos verbos van seguidos siempre por una partcula, como listen to, ask for, etc., y cuando
van en pasiva debemos mantenerla.
-

Weve listened to this CD hundreds of times.

This CD has been listened to hundreds of times.

F) La pasiva se usa en construcciones con verbos como: think, believe, say, consider, feel, find,
know, understand, suppose, etc. Oraciones del tipo People think that he / she / Peter,
etc., tienen dos posibles formas pasivas:
-

People said that he was jealous of her

It was said that he was jealous of her.

He was said to be jealous of her.

(esta construccin de infinitivo es la ms usada)

Cuando el verbo de la principal va en presente y el de la subordinada en pasado, entonces:

-

We know that the expedition reached the South Pole in May.

It is known that the expedition reached the South Pole in May.

The expedition is known to have reached the South Pole in May.

(sta de infinitivo de perfecto

es la ms usada)

G) Un infinitivo detrs de un verbo pasivo es un infinitivo con to.

-

He made us work.

We were made to work.

H) HAVE / GET SOMETHING DONE

1.

Se usa un verbo causativo para expresar las acciones que encargamos a alguien.

She always has / gets her food delivered. (en lugar de traerla ella, pide a alguien que se la traiga)

Esta estructura tiene un significado pasivo, puesto que el sustantivo que va en medio recibe la accin
expresada por el verbo en participio.
2.
-

Si quisiramos mencionar quin hace la accin, podramos aadir by + el agente al final de la

frase.
Susan had / got her car repaired by a mechanic.

3.

El verbo causativo puede usarse prcticamente en cualquier tiempo, incluso en las formas
continuas.

We are having our house painted this week.

4.

La interrogativa y la negativa se forman como las de cualquier otro verbo.

Do you have your car serviced regularly?

Did he get his house redecorated last year?
You wont have your eyes tested next week.
Im not getting my hair cut today.

PUT THE FOLLOWING INTO THE PASSIVE/ ACTIVE

1. What did he write it with?

2. My brother may be given the car for the first time tonight.
3. They havent stamped the letter.
4. She didnt introduce me to her mother.
5. The rubbish was thrown away.
6. A Japanese firm makes these television sets.
7. Visitors must leave umbrellas and sticks in the cloakroom.
8. The town was destroyed by an earthquake.
9. We cant repair your clock.
10. People will show the visitors the new buildings.
11. We are promised higher wages.
12. They are watching my house.
13. This room hasnt been used for ages.
14. A lorry knocked him down.
15. They gave my little sister a ticket, too.
16. You must iron this dress for tonight.
17. Someone is showing Maisie how to bath a baby.
18. Your question cant be answered.
19. Didnt they tell you to be here by six oclock?
20. People were carrying the chairs out into the garden.
21. No one was told about the phone call.
22. Why did no one inform me of the change of plan?
23. This room is going to be redecorated soon.
24. Someone has already paid the electrician for his work.
25. Has someone posted my parcel?
26. The sick man was taken to hospital by an ambulance.
27. Did the idea interest you?
28. Food is being eaten right now in this class.
29. They saw them enter.
30. The doctor asked Mary a great many questions.

31. People say the worlds natural resources are running out.
32. We now know that man can return from the moon.
33. His firm has given Mr Brown a gold watch.
34. She brings me a cup of tea at eleven oclock.
35. Someone saw him pick up a gun.
36. Somebody has told the police a lie.
37. They teach the students English literature.
38. People believe that he was killed by tribesmen.
39. They say that the rocket travelled six thousand miles and landed in the target
area.
40. People know that he is armed.
41. People say that Byron lived on vinegar and potatoes.
42. Evening dress will be worn.
43. This copy hasnt been read. The pages havent been cut.
44. Did you take the car to the garage yesterday?
45. People generally assume that money brings happiness.
46. He was driven to desperation by poverty.
47. I had to tell her the truth.
48. Do they clean the hotel rooms every day?
49. My family doesnt read this newspaper.
50. We are going to finish our work here soon.
51. They had already sent the invitations.
52. Nobody has ever seen a car like this before.

REWORD THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES, USING HAVE OR GET WITH A PAST PARTICIPLE:

1. Someone washed my car for me yesterday.

2. Someone doesnt clean them for us every day.
3. I asked someone to paint the gate last week.
4. Someone tuned her piano for her yesterday.
5. I asked a man to mend my shoes.
6. Somebody sends Maisie her dresses from Paris.
7. Tell him to take another photograph.
8. Im going to tell someone to add an extra room.