PASSIVE VOICE

    There are two forms of "voice" in English, active voice and passive voice. 

Active voice shows what is done by the subject, for example:

     * The secretary wrote a letter (the Secretary write a letter)

Passive voice shows what was done to the subject. Example:

     * The letter was written by the secretary (Letters written by sekreatir) 
Form 
Passive sentence is made with the verb "to be" and the verb form of the 3rd. Here are some of the English tenses used in the passive voice.

Tenses Simple present: Present continuous: Simple past: Past continuous: Present perfect: Past perfect: Future: Future continuous: Present conditional: Past conditional:

Subject Flowers Flowers Flowers Flowers Flowers Flowers Flowers Flowers Flowers Flowers

Verb “to be” are are being were were being have been had been will be will be being would be would have been

Verb III planted every year planted now. planted last year planted last summer. planted here for 10 years. planted until last year. planted next year. planted during the summer. planted if we had seeds. planted if we had had seeds.

By

To say what causes a passive action, we can use the by. Example:

     * This photo was taken by my friend.
     * I was given this by my brother.

Often not required to declare the cause of action passive, especially if clearly understood or irrelevant. For example:

     * The meeting was canceled (the meeting was canceled). (Important information to be conveyed is the cancellation of the meeting, not who is to cancel it.)

     * These boots were the resource persons made ​​in Italy (shoe-boots are made ​​in Italy). (The information is important in this sentence is that the shoes were made in Italy, not who makes it).

Born

When talking about the birth of a particular person or an event, we use the passive voice "to be born". Example:

     * I was born in Iran.
     * The twins were the resource persons born just last year.

Get

Get can be used instead to be in a situation where something happens. Example:

- Our flight got canceled = Our flight was canceled.
- I got paid today = I was paid today.

Get can not be used in public situations and, where together with verbs that express a state (not action). Example:

- He is liked by a lot of people. - True
- He gets liked by a lot of people. - Not true
- She is known to be a hard-working employee. - True
- She gets known to be a hard-working employee .- Incorrect

Get used more frequently in informal English.