Usually the subject is the performer of the action described by the predicate. However, sometimes we talk about something happening to the main character. In this case, he ceases to be the actor and passively accepts the action.
Passive voice (grammar): education table
In Russian, such a construction is called a passive voice. In English, it is passive voice. The table below shows how it is formed in different aspects. The general formula for composing the voice contains the corresponding form of the linking verb to be, which requires the past participle after itself.
The main difference in the structure of education is related to the variety of forms of the verb to be. This, in turn, depends on the particular aspect and tense of the sentence in the passive voice (the table below shows aspects in the left column and tenses in the top row). The last column is titled Future In The Past, which means "the future is in the past." However, this time is often not taken into account as a proper temporary construction and is called conditional sentences, since it reports hypothetical actions,which are usually translated into Russian using the particle “would”. The past participle is abbreviated to "p".
As we can see, in all four aspects: indefinite, lasting, completed and completed lasting, the passive voice construction can take place.
The table also gives two possible forms of the verb to be in the past, future and future in the past tense, which are used in accordance with the person. Was is the singular of the first and third person, were is the plural and singular of the second person; shall - singular and plural of the first person, will - singular and plural of the second and third person; should - similar to shall, would - similar to will.
Note that the future tense for the first person singular is the verb shall. However, in modern English, will is almost always used instead of shall, and there is a tendency to replace should with would.
Continuing aspect
Let's take a closer look at the ongoing aspect. Here the passive voice (table, examples above and below) is formed by the form of the auxiliary verb to be followed by being and the past participle of the main verb.
Jobs are still being lost. / Work was still behind schedule.
It was being done without his knowledge. / This was done without using his skills.
With modal verbs
At the position directly behind the modalverb-linking verb to be is used in the basic form, accompanied by the past participle.
What can be done? / What can be done?
We wont be beaten. / We don't want to be beaten.
Past tense
If we are talking about the past tense, then modal verbs are used in conjunction with have been.
He may have been given the car. / They could have given him a car.
He couldn't have been told by Jimmy. / It couldn't be revealed by Jimmy's words.
Passive-infinitive
To form the passive voice infinitive, use the verb to be or to have been followed by the main verb in the past participle.
He wanted to be forgiven. / He wanted to be forgiven.
The car was reported to have been stolen.
Informal passive
In informal passive English, get is sometimes more natural than to be.
Our car gets cleaned every weekend. / Our car goes to the car wash every weekend.
He got killed in a plane crash. / He crashed in a plane crash.
Thus, passive voice can also be used with modal verbs and as part of the infinitive. The table shows that in tense-aspect constructions the verb to be can have different forms, depending on the subject. However, the passive infinitive and similar structures with modalverbs do not carry signs of a person.
