The passive voice

The Passive Voice
TO BE + PP or NOT TO BE + PP
Emplois de la voix passive:
a. surtout dans la langue écrite (journaux, ouvrages scientifiques ou techniques, etc.)
b. rend la situation impersonnelle, focalise l’attention sur l’action plus que sur les acteurs
c. traduit assez souvent l’idée du français «on»
Formation: BE + participe passé (l’auxiliaire est conjugué aux temps équivalents voulus de la voix active)
Exemples:
This house is quite old, it was built in 1935.
200 people are employed by the company but 25 will be dismissed.
A lot of money was stolen in the robbery. The bank manager is being questioned.
Is this room cleaned every day?
Who did it? (agent, but only if absolutely necessary!)
Many accidents are caused by careless driving.
Their parents died a few years ago and they are brought up by their grandparents.
We were woken up by a terrible noise.
Emploi avec des auxiliaires de mode: infinitifs passifs!
The situation is serious, something must be done!
A mystery is something that cannot be explained.
The music could be heard from a long way away.
A new supermarket is going to be built here next year.
Please go away, I want to be left alone.
Et au passé: infinitifs passés passifs!
The concert has been cancelled. >>> The concert must have been cancelled.
This room should have been cleaned long ago.
I have not received your letter. It must have been sent to the wrong address.
Cas spéciaux mais intéressants:
a) offer, give, ask, pay, show, teach, tell…
Somebody gave the police the information >>> a) The information was given to the police.
The police were given the information (much more common, with a personal element as subject)
I was offered the job but I refused it.
You'll be given plenty of time to decide.
Have you been shown the new machine?
The men were paid £4000 to do the job.
b) say, believe, think, suppose, know, report, understand, suspect, allege…
He's said to be 108 years old.
The missing boy is believed to be wearing red jeans.
The strike is expected to end very shortly.
10 people are reported to have been injured in the explosion.
c) I don't like… being told what to do.
being looked at when I eat.
being kept waiting.
d) verbes à preposition:
This bed has never been slept in.
The kids are being looked after by their grandparents.
The mystery is looked into by a team of scientists.