Passive voice

We use the passive voice when: the subject is not known or it is not relevant or just because we face a matter from a different perspective.

For example, when we see the advertisement 'TOMATOES ARE SOLD HERE', do we really care the name of the seller or the farmer? Not at all. The important thing is the fact that you can buy tomatoes here. On the contrary, if Brad Pitt was the person selling tomatoes, we would never use the passive voice and we would say: Do you know what? Brad Pitt sells tomatoes on the road to Granada.- You only include the agent when it gives some information.

If it doesn't give any information, we tend to omit it (remember our 'pasiva refleja' >> Se venden tomates aquí : tomatoes are sold here.) WE NEVER SAY: by someone, by people and we rarely say: by him, her.-

Our indirect object can the be subject of the passive voice.Example: ACTIVE >> We gave Mary a wonderful present for her birthday.PASSIVE >> Mary was given a wonderful present for her birthday.or A wonderful present was given to Mary for her birthday.But remember that the sentence "We gave a wonderful present to Mary for her birthday" has got only passive possibility (A wonderful present was given to Mary for her birthday). -

BE CAREFUL with sentences whose subject is 'NOBODY' because the sentence is negative.Example: Ann wasn't offered the job (<< Nobody offered Ann the job)- 'I was born in Chicago' is actually a passive sentence.