The Passive Voice

Rule #2 of Passive Voice:

The passive voice focuses on the person or thing performing the action.

Rule #3 of Passive Voice:

The passive voice may also focus on an action without identifying the performer of the action.

Rule #1 of Passive Voice:

The passive voice may appear in any tense

This product is only sold in pharmacies.

Ce produit ne se vend qu'en pharmacie.

Example of Rule #4 of Passive Voice: This teacher is respected by all his students. The grandmother is loved by her children.

Ce professeur est respecté de tous ses étudiants. La grand-mère est aimée de ses petits-enfants.

Examples of Rule #1 of Passive Voice: THese rooms will be painted by my brother. THe kitchen ought to be modernized.

Ces pièces seront peintes par mon frère. La cuisine devrait être modernisée.

Examples of Rule #2 of Passive Voice: This apartment was bought by my parents (focus on my parents).

Cet appartement a été acheté par mes parents.

Example of Rule #3 of Passive Voice: This apartment house was built in 1890.

Cet immeuble a été construit en 1890.

Substitutes for the Passive Voice:

-Active Voice: Louis a écrit le conte.

Formation of Passive Voice:

-être plus past participle -past participle agrees with SUBJECT of sentence -person who performs action of verb is introduced by PAR -after expressing mental processing (thinking and feeling) person who performs action of verb is introduced by DE

Rule #4 of Passive Voice:

After verbs expressing mental processes, like feeling and thinking, the agent is often introduced by de rather than by par.

Substitutes: When the performer of the action is not expressed, on may be used.

La chambre sera nettoyée. -> On nettoiera la chambre.

Substitutes: WHen a speaker wants to focus on the person who performed an action, the passive can be replaced by a sentence beginning with c'est or ce sont.

Le conte a été écrt par Louis. -> C'est Louis qui a écrit le conte.

Passive Voice Examples: The book is read by the students. Some questions are asked by the teacher.

Le livre est lu par les étudiants. (livre = m./s.) Des questions sont posées par le professeur. (questions = f/pl.)

They close the doors at six o'clock.

Les portes se ferment à six heures.

Active Voice Examples: The students read the book. THe teacher asks some questions.

Les étudiants lisent le livre. Le professeur pose des questions.

That's not said anymore.

Ça ne se dit plus.

That's not done anymore.

Ça ne se fait plus.