The Passive: When, why, and how to use it

[@Kendojin]

I'm a native English speaker, and have hated English classes most of my life. This kind of stuff has always been boring to me... Now I'm 33, and I'm having to go back and learn things like this, because I have a desire to become a writer. Everything I've read has said to avoid Passive Voice in writing, and it's difficult, because sometimes it feels natural to me... I thank you so much for this video, because the idea of shifting focus, and keeping things relevant, is where I can see passive voice being a problem in a lot of cases.... It can feel boring, too, because of the focus shift that occurs for the reader... But the way you've explained it, I can see where passive voice is actually really useful, when used APPROPRIATELY! I've never had anyone explain the mechanics of English so wonderfully, thank you!

[@albafernandez3198]

Dear teacher it's the first time somebody explains to me the passive voice focuses on when you use it in English instead of changing and translating from active to passive. Thank you very much for your great lesson. I love it

[@engvidBenjamin]

Excellent video, Adam. Let's try out a sentence in the passive: the material was presented in a clear and coherent manner! :)

[@alpercjejdtuner2852]

1

[@MrInstrumentalist]

The material was presented by who? Who cares! I'm kidding.

[@muhammedfars9030]

E

[@muhammedfars9030]

Tttyy

[@AncientAITV]

Change it plx i know him.

[@taoperezjackson5446]

Hey Adam, I just wanted to congratulate you on this video. I have recently started work as an English teacher and I feel like you do an incredible job of simplifying everything in to an understandable format for everyone. Keep up the good work and thank you !

[@adrianbarrios8862]

"Millions of people are not really important, we don't really care about them...what's important is CONSUMPTION" Sadly true in so many levels

[@hamzamabchour9396]

so you also noticed that !

[@mishahavrylyuk5936]

Lol

[@pbhello]

lol, then they should stop consuming coco cola :p

[@etagegnhabtemaryam9793]

Thanks

[@gabor6259]

*ON so many levels

[@MA-ze7mg]

You are one of the best teachers that I saw ever!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! God bless you Mr. Adam.

[@marcosfdez109]

I had this video waiting on my Watch Later list for months, and I'm glad I finally watched it! Always bringing good explanations!

[@sulimanfarwana1089]

What I really like of you is that you never hide your fouls or unintended mistakes .

[@baixista]

Teacher, I'm here in Brazil, I am watching all your videos, one-by-one, it's impressive how I'm able to understand entirely what you say!!! Thank SO much!! You're the best teacher ever!!!!!

[@ufcchampion3686]

hey, how are you?

[@baixista]

@@ufcchampion3686 I'm good! What about you?

[@ufcchampion3686]

@Rogério Werneck i am good have a great day

[@theedogdj7632]

"Who fixed the road? I don't care, I can drive, I'm happy." Man, really helpful and straight to point video. I loved the way you explained everything as well. Thank you.

[@Brunynha3288]

I love your classes, teacher. Currently I am taking advanced classes and all your classes on youtube have been helping me a lot. Thank you so much.

[@suzanaribeiro4427]

Thanks, Adam! I have been using your videos since the beginning of my graduation. And tomorrow I'll be teaching passive, and this video of yours has helped me a lot like always!

[@Clausita26preciosa]

BEST PASSIVE VOICE CLASS EVER!!... THANK U VERY MUCH!!!!

[@alyyy7918]

and now where are u?!🥰 in uni?🥰

[@learneasilywithsam2394]

Sir,thank you very much. I am repenting too much that why didn't I get the teacher like you in my life.

[@samabdullah8916]

Hi Adam, thank you very much for your encouraging words like" very simple", "everybody knows this, no problem" during your lesson, this really gives a stimulating effect to learn further...Best wishes, your learner.

[@iandavidson1]

I love the way he left an error in the lesson and how smoothly he dealt with it, great teaching and presentation.

[@fabianapalmili8936]

I loved it when he dropped the marker and picked it up. He is so authentic.

[@YukselYapEndustrisi]

This is better than school

[@raziasultana5222]

Maybe😑😑😑😑😑

[@emircancv7176]

obvi

[@ibraev19.04]

school is cool

[@emircancv7176]

@@ibraev19.04 not obvi

[@joaocarvalho5801]

I disagree with you because a teacher can take your question in personally but in a video this is impossible. Of course, this channel helps a lot but nothing can substitute a personal teacher

[@solomon9304]

This video must be watched by all students, it helps us more the we learned in school

[@asmatahar2815]

Adam,You are my favourite teacget at engvid.

[@yasakulakonara8355]

+ASMA TAHAR yes mine too he teaches very clearly

[@freeridergreen8744]

Thanks 8 666yyh n

[@rafaaraujosantana2946]

Ok

[@henrydingsings6929]

pearly y it means bad english

[@mr.jackson3260]

Yeaj he teacgets bery guell

[@meetsoni8885]

You are a great teacher . I face tribulations in my ielts writing because of lack of sentences variety.. Thanks for this ...really appreciated..

[@estrellitalibrado3699]

THANK YOU SO MUCH .. SIR ADAM .. YOU HELP MILLIONS OF PEOPLE ALL OVER THE WORLD BY SHARING YOUR KNOWLEGED... AND YOUR GENIUS SKILLS IN LEARNING ENGLISH

[@ufcchampion3686]

how are you?

[@engineer512]

@@ufcchampion3686 WHAT ABOUT YOU BRO

[@sreymompeou4627]

Adam,You are my best teacher ! Thanks you !

[@neva8633]

He’s a really perfect teacher. And he speaks clearly, so you can understand him👌

[@qaisrafazal9318]

He’s Russian

[@arts4152]

How

[@palakurthijyothsna6726]

You are one of best teacher. Now understand clearly about Passive Voice

[@rakhalbala260]

It was skipped in my high school life because i did not understand this lesson. Even i selected alternative lesson against this lesson to get enough mark. And now he made me understand how to use this. Thanks a lot

[@fabrizia1970]

....you're so lovely when you say: "...who cares?, ..i'm drivin, i'm happy!" LOL!

[@vickyjaiswal2677]

Hi

[@weirnershittler6752]

Vicky Jaiswal not

[@alonearmy8012]

👁

[@brissa18]

This teacher is incredible!!!!!!...using the passive voice I would say: "The lesson was fully explained by this terrific teacher"

[@_cul8r_]

So many videos out there demonize the passive voice. Thank you for pointing out that it IS useful and for your very good explanation as to some of those uses.

[@veinoshilongo184]

Mr Adam you are the best teacher ever. Therefore I believe this will help me to improve now.

[@andresbarrera2717]

Nodoby taught me this use of passive voice in high school, thanks a bunch.

[@alexandreivo5454]

you are the best teacher on the whole internet..congratulations

[@mdr7107]

Thank you sir, this really helped me with my sentences. Thanks from the U.S.

[@PsíquicoMágico]

This comment is just to make the logarithm on KZbin realize that I am interested in the content of this channel, I congratulate and thank you for the information in the video.

[@МаксимРешетняк-б8д]

Thank you! Why it wasn't explained to us in such an easy and enjoyable manner in our schools in Russia? The explanations of our teachers were so boring and complexed.

[@albafernandez3198]

I absolutly agree, it happens the same in Spain

[@raziasultana5222]

Probably it's boring because we don't pay attention in class

[@brenosenpai]

the same in Brazil

[@bahramdashti369]

U r right also that is happening with me so boring

[@comandante9312]

because they also did not know what is passive and how to use it.

[@imadlahham6889]

He is the best teacher I've ever seen. I wish to know where he teach, so I might enroll in the same school. English has became easier because of him.

[@Valleyjbc]

Adam, you’re fantastic! I can finally learn with much ease.

[@zeyneptuyluoglu6185]

I'm Turkish and thanks so much!! It's the easier way of learn the passives. Nice work!

[@meym3602]

Thank you very much! My question about why we use it is now clear to me.

[@TheFakeyCakeMaker]

+Ochee ako Your question about the passive was answered. :-) xx

[@meym3602]

+The Fakey Cake Maker we all mean different things..

[@TheFakeyCakeMaker]

Ochee ako If your question about the passive was really answered you'd have understood why my comment was a joke. ciao.

[@meym3602]

+The Fakey Cake Maker I wasn't informed you have to use the passive voice in the comments. Lmfao. Au revoir.

[@TheFakeyCakeMaker]

Ochee ako You don't, that's why it was a joke. -_- Let's talk next year when finally get it.

[@thamara6544]

Adam , im much appreciated you who can only explain this toughest portion of grammar in an easy way, and for that i say hats off you sir.

[@donnymarchan8589]

Excellent lesson and great teacher! I'd like some more advanced videos about passive.

[@moxigeren50gabe23]

Today I started my TEFL course and this will be very helpful , thank you teacher , bless you

[@Manolete919]

that's my aim, TOEFL, good point to take away from this lesson, I din't know that!! it's important to mantain the focus of the object, this is very important, this has been a good lesson!!

[@99000snake]

I'm Italian and for me the passive form is difficult but this video help me to understand when and how I must use the passive form. Thanks Adam

[@legaleagle46]

Just one little caution about the passive voice: Don't overuse it, as it is considered weaker in force than the active voice. It's like adding salt to a recipe -- you only want to use just enough of the passive voice to enhance your speaking and writing. Using it too much tends to make your communication less effective, just as putting too much salt into a recipe ruins the food.

[@leab.6600]

+Lee Cox Thank you for the tip.

[@legaleagle46]

Lea B. You're welcome.

[@legaleagle46]

***** Thank you.

[@leaderlesssociety9082]

I agree

[@suleymankhan5298]

thank you for the excellent tip.

[@omarrangel7586]

Bravo Adam. Your explanation is so easy to understand. Thanks for sharing your knowledge with all of us. All we teach english (maybe I´m wrong) try to give our students the best way possible explanation with the aim they don´t have any doubts about the topic we are teaching in that moment. Your video is close to 12 minutes and when you stop seeing this you think its duration was only 5 minutes. Another thing you do is, the vocabulary you use during the class which is not complicated, being familiar to everyone. I didn´t want to miss the opportunity to say thank you for all the support you give to all the people that we are not native speakers and we struggle to be better in the acquisition of a second language. God Bless you Adam. Bye!

[@hanhlemy4124]

Thanks Adam for your informative lesson. It helps me a lot !

[@aezldren]

Great video. The main reason I use to passive when writing is similar to the 2nd reason you cite, "To shift emphasis to the subject." But what I would ad is that sometimes it is important to convey that a subject/character has had something done to them, such as, "The character was incarcerated by the state." The story is about the character, not the state. It would say less about the character's personal plight to say, "The state incarcerated the character."

[@logicallife6180]

This video was created by Adam

[@andresangarita9595]

The script for this video was written by Adam

[@RitalAhmed-z7t]

😂😂انتو استفدتو

[@lunapiensa]

It was such a pleasure watching this video. It's beautiful how we can emphasize or give focus to something in particular just with one little change. Grammar is hot.

[@ginidol9727]

thanks a lot Adam. . you're doing a great job!. your lessons are very hepful

[@selenemon6508]

OMG THANK YOU SO MUCH, I've to do an IELTS Exam and I feel so grateful to know your channel

[@Guinhulol]

Dude, where were you when I took the IELTS exam, huh?

[@harishmg5807]

Dear sir, My name is Harish. I am always seeing your class that can be understood everyone easily and your the favorite teacher for me. I am happy to see your class and downloaded them to view when i get free time.

[@alexandreivo5454]

the best teacher ever in ineternt #weloveadam

[@ZuzaMuza123]

This viddeo really helped me. Thank you! ;)

[@erykv5014]

xD

[@ZuzaMuza123]

fajny awatar XD

[@erykv5014]

ciii xD

[@naz0701]

Thanks a lot for your lessons. I'll never boring of them.I am happy studying with you, dear teacher. sincerely, Nazira from Kazakhstan

[@suryannarayana4225]

Thank you Adam. it was very nice lesion.

[@nataliab9458]

Adam, you are the best teacher. I watch your videos every day.

[@flaviarubin3554]

Wow, loved the lesson, thank you!!!!

[@The_Monteiro]

Amazing video! I'm an English native and this has helped me so much. I tend to make the mistakes of passive voice misuse and could never understand why. Thank you!

[@yuryquintero8289]

excuse me, I have a question; how can I make questions with passive voice and how can I answer it?

[@leab.6600]

+Yury Quintero Was Coca-Cola invented by John Pemberton?

[@cjpaisano]

This is fine and is quite normal in speech. I think the example is funny by using the verb "to eat" with "rat." People normally don't eat rat. Hope this helps.

[@kinanieacademy5235]

Was the vase broken? Yes, it was.... For example

[@renevillalobos8236]

An outstanding point of view of the efficient use of Passive voice. This is the quid for foreign students.

[@TheFakeyCakeMaker]

3:46 the pen was dropped hahahahaha! :-) xx

[@meym3602]

The pen drops..

[@TheFakeyCakeMaker]

Ochee ako No. Clearly for you the penny hasn't.

[@GameNOWRoom]

I see what you did there ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

[@TheFakeyCakeMaker]

GameNOWRoom | Kanal wird "umgebaut" :D | Lol! Glad someone did. :-D xx

[@GameNOWRoom]

:D

[@ThaoNguyen-hc5eq]

love you, teacher. Finally I found an online teacher who teaches easily to understand . Thank you ❤️❤️

[@mahendras3945]

Is there any Indian?

[@shahbazsaeed7090]

India 🇮🇳

[@MS-go4gk]

*Adam you are the best teacher Who ever I have seen in my life, thanks a lot for your help... I am from 🇮🇶 Iraq*

[@mehrdadpersian9902]

Sir Adam " You are the GOAT ( Greatest Of All Times ) in the English Teaching System . Thank you

[@LloydsofRochester]

This is the best and most useful video I have found on the subject of passive voice, when it should be used and why. Most seem to be focusing on how to eliminate it and not its value.

[@ghanshyam7771]

Adam I'm from india but I could understand your english easily brilliant work Only by you, I could understand what is use of passive and why I use it Thanks

[@DanielMunozdfmm]

Thank you very much proffessor Adam. You are a very good teacher. Please, continue teaching english, your lessons are very helpful for me and for the other people that want to learn english. My best.

[@helenwood1]

Terrific video, again Adam. Solid presentation and as the comment below indicates, do not overuse the passive as it is considered weaker than the active voice. Some grammar checks will indiate this during your writing. Thank you engvid

[@neehaglee7249]

giving reasons for using passive voice is very nice, many teachers dont do that. thanks again.

[@RiteshKumar-qb9ee]

Hii neha , I want to talk with you about grammar , my no. Is 6203463845

[@nouhasidiahmed5275]

Thanks, sir . I'm from Mauritania, Africa, l always use your lessons to my students ......

[@parthsolanki9273]

I'm totally awestruck by how well you have explained it!

[@gmbaltazar5056]

Adam great lesson ! OMG I've been following your lessons for a while and let me tell you that even that I consider myself a good English teacher, I have Leaned tons of new ideas from you my friend....Saludos desde Morelia Michoacan , place where I live since almost five years now. I'm from USA. And to finish my thought....the class was very well understood ! EXPECT YOUR RESPONSE !!!

[@vinayscottrajat]

first english teacher i like most ..

[@valdoalfredo4812]

thank you very much for your clear explanation. i used to use the passive voice but i have never learnt why could I use it. Thank you very much indeed.

[@deealdea5420]

Now that we are under lockdown, I use your tutorials. Whenever this pandemic is over, hope you pay us a visit...

[@mirnam.4]

I'm learning because of the way you explain it you are the best teacher and very lovely ❤️

[@terciliax]

have i already told u that i love u???????? you are the best teacher!!!!

[@ЕленаМаслова-э1ы]

I found your lessons several days ago. And I like it very much, i watch them every day now. Thank you very much for this!

[@easymax2004]

So, What is your english level now?

[@FUD1155]

Hello everyone, The lesson turned out to be difficult for me. I manage to get 8/10. Although i didn't get 100% i'm happy. I'm going to get into passive voice in English. It seems to be very useful. As always Adam made a great lesson. All necessary information was covered. Btw. Merry Christmas everyone. 🎅 I wish you all the best in English learning. ;)

[@luisalbertocaballeropachec9620]

Hi Adan, Thank you for your videos because I'd had some problems until your video was watched by me. I've read all these comments and you is thought to be a great teacher beacuse you're very easy to understand. Best wishes

[@atalayaworks]

very good, thanks. KZbin nowadays is the most power full tool for anyone

[@brinab9622]

Tysm Adam.. im not a native speaker so i had trouble understanding the passive. This video probably saved me some essay points on sentence variety

[@kaldanbek9]

just a best teacher in the whole youtube

[@mostavvadel]

Greatest english teacher and the best explanation mashaAllah

[@srvlogs2276]

One of my favourite Teachers you are

[@matvey44ik]

Thank you a million dear teacher! I have finally seen a good explanation of Passive voice❤❤

[@sajjadazar8891]

It is always a great pleasure for learning English with you man

[@leruha2009]

The pen was dropped and the arrow showed us where it can be found))) Adam did it gracefully with a smile)))

[@JakirHossain-km7fp]

Your teaching skills absolutely strong.

[@AndreSantos-pd5cp]

I'm brazilian and i like to watch english video for me improve my ear Very good this teaching way

[@DANIEL-sb5yp]

Thanks for the class! Teacher, you clearly explained the rules of passive voice and as usual you gave us good tips for creating a correct text structure for the TOEFL and IELTS tests.

[@nguyenkhacquan1404]

Thank you very much, your lectures are more interesting and helpful for me than ever before!

[@muhaidinebadi2480]

the teach was very good and all the students can use from these Examples of you , Teacher Adam thank you

[@cristinagonzalez8289]

you really made me understand the importance of passive voice, I want to apply it that way from now on.

[@JouCRD]

2023 learning English with you brother

[@millie7627]

Thank you for this video, the professor has used the easiest way to explain the passive voice. Thank you very much.

[@anthonystowe2553]

Thank you, Adam, for helping me improve my understanding of writing mechanics.