1 WORD ORDER
The word order in a normal
English sentence is Subject
–
Verb –
Object
( S
-
V
-
O
).
A dog
bit
a man.
If we change the order, we
change the meaning of the sentence.
A
man
bit
a dog.
Nevertheless, we sometimes want
to put the object of the action at the beginning of the sentence.
We can do this if we change the verb to the PASSIVE VOICE.
The rule for
changing to the Passive Voice:
As an example, let's use
this sentence: A dog
bit
the
man.
[past
tense]
1 Put the object of the
original sentence into the subject position:
A man
2 Insert the verb "to
be" and give it the same tense as the original verb in the original sentence.
A man
was
3
Change the original verb to the past participle (the third form) and
insert it after the
form of
"be".
A man
was
bitten
4a
Put the subject of the original sentence into the object position and put the word
"by" in front of it.
A man
was bitten
by a dog.
--- OR
---
4b Leave out the
subject of the original sentence completely, as in this example:
Movies
are produced
in Hollywood.
2 WHO OR WHAT IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR THE ACTION?
In the example
above under 4b, the subject of the original sentence disappeared in the passive voice.
We usually leave out the subject of the original sentence in the passive sentence if it
is:
not
known
or not important
or obvious to everyone
Nevertheless, it is sometimes
necessary to identify the subject of the original sentence in order for the sentence to
make sense. If so, we use the preposition "by". For example:
Lightning
struck
my cousin
and he survived.
My cousin
was struck
by
lightning
and
survived.
Without the words "by
lightning", it could mean he was struck by a person or a car or …
Traffic delayed
me.
I
was delayed
by traffic.
Without the words "by
traffic", it could mean he was held up (robbed at gunpoint).
My grandmother
made
this
sweater.
This sweater
was made by
my grandmother.
Without the words "by my
grandmother", it would be a ridiculously obvious statement.
3
EXAMPLES
