Essential English Grammar Structures: Passive, Causative, Reporting Verbs

Mastering English Passive Voice

The passive voice emphasizes the action or the recipient of the action rather than the performer. Its general structure is: Object + Passive Verb + (by + Agent).

Passive Verb Tenses

• Present Simple: AM (not) / ARE (not) / IS (not) + past participle
• Past Simple: WAS (not) / WERE (not) + past participle
• Future 'Will': WILL (not) BE + past participle
• Future 'Going To': AM (not) GOING TO BE / ARE (not) GOING TO BE / IS (not) GOING TO BE + past participle
• Present Continuous: AM (not) BEING / ARE (not) BEING / IS (not) BEING + past participle
• Past Continuous: WAS (not) BEING / WERE (not) BEING + past participle
• Present Perfect: HAVE (not) BEEN / HAS (not) BEEN + past participle
• Past Perfect: HAD (not) BEEN + past participle
• Modal Verbs: CAN BE / MUSTN’T BE / HAVE TO BE (...) + past participle

Passive Subjects

When transforming an active sentence into a passive one, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. There are two main ways to form passive subjects:

• Direct Object as Passive Subject:
  • Active: Subject + Active Verb + Direct Object + Indirect Object
  • Passive: Direct Object + Passive Verb + TO + Indirect Object + (by + Agent)
• Indirect Object as Passive Subject:
  • Active: Subject + Active Verb + Direct Object + Indirect Object
  • Passive: Indirect Object + Passive Verb + Direct Object + (by + Agent)

Passive Voice Examples

Active: They told me the truth.

• Direct Object as the passive subject: The truth was told to me by them.
• Indirect Object as the passive subject: I was told the truth by them.

Understanding Causative Verbs

Causative verbs are used when you arrange for someone else to do something for you, rather than doing it yourself. The general structure is:

• Active: Active Subject + Active Verb + Direct Object
• Causative: Passive Subject + HAVE / GET (in the same tense) + Direct Object + Past Participle of the Main Verb

Causative Verb Tenses

• Present Simple: HAVE (not) / HAS (not) + complement + past participle of the main verb
• Past Simple: HAD / DIDN’T HAVE + complement + past participle of the main verb
• Future 'Will': WILL (not) HAVE + complement + past participle of the main verb
• Present Continuous: AM (not) HAVING / ARE (not) HAVING / IS (not) HAVING + complement + past participle of the main verb
• Past Continuous: WAS (not) HAVING / WERE (not) HAVING + complement + past participle of the main verb
• Present Perfect: HAVE (not) HAD / HAS (not) HAD + complement + past participle of the main verb
• Past Perfect: HAD (not) HAD + complement + past participle of the main verb

Causative Verb Examples

Active: The mechanic is repairing his car at the moment.

Causative: He is having his car repaired at the moment.

Using Reporting Verbs Effectively

Reporting verbs are used to report what someone else has said or thought. Common reporting verbs include: say, tell, claim, report, believe, think, expect, know.

Reporting Verb Structures

There are two primary structures for reporting verbs in the passive voice:

Structure 1: Impersonal Passive with "It"

• It + BE + past participle + that ...
  • Present: It is + past participle
  • Past: It was + past participle

Examples for Structure 1

It is said that Paris is one of the most beautiful cities in the world.

Structure 2: Personal Passive with "To Infinitive"

• Passive subject + BE + past participle + TO infinitive / TO HAVE + past participle ...
  • Present: Passive subject + IS / ARE + past participle + TO infinitive
  • Past: Passive subject + WAS / WERE + past participle + TO HAVE + past participle

Examples for Structure 2

Paris is said to be one of the most beautiful cities in the world.