Advanced Passive Voice Constructions and Uses
This page delves into more complex aspects of the passive voice in English, including its use with different tenses and special constructions.
Passive Voice with Different Tenses
The passive voice can be used with various tenses, adapting the form of "to be" accordingly:
- Present Simple: The house is cleaned every week.
- Past Simple: The letter was sent yesterday.
- Present Perfect: The project has been completed.
- Past Perfect: The decision had been made before we arrived.
- Future: The new policy will be implemented next month.
Example: My phone has been stolen. PresentPerfectPassive
Passive Voice with Modal Verbs
Modal verbs can also be used in passive constructions:
- This door should be replaced when you have time.
- The report must be submitted by Friday.
Impersonal Passive
The impersonal passive is a specific construction used with verbs of perception think,know,believe,claim,say,etc.. It's formed by replacing the subject with "it is + past participle + that":
- Active: People say that he left the town two weeks ago.
- Impersonal Passive: It is said that he left the town two weeks ago.
Highlight: The impersonal passive is less common in everyday English but is found in formal or literary texts.
Using "Get" in Passive Constructions
In more casual English, "get" can replace "be" in some passive constructions:
- I got offered the job but I didn't take it.
- He got promoted last month.
Vocabulary: Voix passive anglais exercice corrigé PDF - A PDF document containing exercises on the passive voice in English with corrected answers, useful for practice and self-assessment.
Definition: Mettre une phrase à la voix passive en anglais - The process of transforming an active sentence into a passive one in English, which involves changing the sentence structure to emphasize the action or the recipient of the action.
These advanced uses of the passive voice provide greater flexibility in English expression, allowing speakers and writers to convey nuanced meanings and emphasize different aspects of actions and events.
