Alternative passive

Use of Passive

Passive voice is used when the focus is on the action. It is not important or not known however, who or what is performing the action.
Example: My bike was stolen.
In the example above, the focus is on the fact that my bike was stolen. I do not know, however, who did it.
Sometimes a statement in passive is more polite than active voice, as the following example shows:
Example: A mistake was made.
In this case, I focus on the fact that a mistake was made, but I do not blame anyone (e.g. you have made a mistake.).

Form of Passive
Subject + to be + Past Participle
Example: A letter was written.
When rewriting active sentences in passive voice, note the following: • the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence • the finite form of the verb is changed (to be + past participle) • the subject of the active sentence becomes the object of the passive sentence (or is dropped)
Examples of Passive

|Tense |Subject |Verb |Object |
|Simple Present |Active: |Rita | | |
| | | |writes |a letter. |
| |Passive: |A letter |is written |by Rita. |
|Simple Past |Active: |Rita |wrote |a letter. |
| |Passive: |A letter |has been written |by Rita. |
|Future I |Active: |Rita |will write |a letter. |
| |Passive: |A letter |can be written |by Rita.