English Grammar No.3: The Passive Voice

 

Compare …

A good student wrote this essay.

with …

This essay was written by a good student. PASSIVE

 

Compare also …

Everyone admires him for his imagination.

with …

He is admired for his imagination. PASSIVE

 

Why PASSIVE? To focus on the most important element!

 

How is it done? Subject + a form of BE (was/is/…) + 3rd form of the verb (written/admired) + by…

 

Now, let’s turn this story into the passive voice:

 

Yesterday afternoon, someone stole valuable jewels from a shop in central Kungälv. A woman witnessed the burglary.  She called the police after some fifteen minutes. An old man saw the thieves in Kode on their way to Norway. In Stenungsund the police caught them. Over the radio they identified them as T. Car… and T. Bjö… of Munkegärdeskolan. They arrested them on the spot, and drove them to the police headquarters in Göteborg. A senior officer told them about their rights and interrogated them for twenty-five minutes. Then he took them to their cells. A policeman gave them bread and water and some magazines about daffodils. Then he left them alone and informed their parents. Unfortunately, he left a window open in their cell. People never saw the boys again. Their old teacher will never forget them, though. Also their classmates are still looking for them.

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