Dalam bahasa Inggris terdapat kalimat aktif dan kalimat pasif layaknya
bahasa Indonesia. Pada kalimat aktif (active sentence) subjek
melakukan pekerjaan terhadap objek. Sementara pada kalimat pasif
(Passive sentence) objek dilakui pekerjaan oleh subjek.
Pada bahasa Inggris bentuk pasif ditandai dengan to be + V3.
Active : Somebody holds a ceremony. (Seseorang menyelenggarakan sebuah upacara)
Passive : A ceremony is held by somebody.
Active = “The teacher gave me an explanation”
Passive = “I was given an explanation”
Active : The King of Majapahit built the castle.
Passive : The castle was built by the King of Majapahit. (istana itu
dibangun oleh raja Majapahit)
Active : Yanto slapped the boy on his face.
Passive : The boy was slapped on his face.
Active : I shall give her a new pen.
Passive : 1. She will be given a new pen.
A : He writes the letter carefully.
P : The letter is written carefully.
A : He writes the letters carefully.
P : The letters are written carefully.
A : He wrote the letter carefully.
P : The letter was written carefully.
A : He wrote the letters carefully.
P : The letters were written carefullA : He is writing the letter carefully.
A : He is writing the letters carefully.
P : The letters are being written carefully.
A : He was writing the letter carefully.
P : The letter was being written carefully.
A : He was writing the letters carefully.
P : The letters were being written carefully.
A : I would write the letter carefully.
P : The letter would be written carefully.
A : I would write the letters carefully.
P : The letters would be written carefully.
