Avoiding the Passive

Making it Impersonal

The passive voice is mainly used in literature, it is not used in everyday French. You can avoid using the passive by making the sentence impersonal.

Using 'on'

'On' is a very common way of making a sentence impersonal.
Cette lettre a été écrite en 1998 $\rightarrow$ On a écrit cette lettre en 1998.
- This letter has been written in 1998 $\rightarrow$ This letter was written in 1998.
Le dessert est servi après le plat principal $\rightarrow$ On sert le dessert après le plat principal.
- Dessert is served after the main course $\rightarrow$ One serves the dessert after the main course.

Using 'se'

This is called the passive reflexive. You place a 'se' in front of a verb that is not normally reflexive to show a passive nature.
La pomme est mangée froide $\rightarrow$ La pomme se mange froide.
- Apple is eaten cold.
Ce film est souvent vu $\rightarrow$ Ce film se voit souvent.
- This film is often watched.

Making it Active

Any passive sentence can become active. All you need to do is reorder the sentence.

$Illustrative background for Passive $$\rightarrow$$ active$ $Illustrative background for Passive $$\rightarrow$$ active ?? "content$

Passive $\rightarrow$ active

La nourriture sera mangée par moi $\rightarrow$ Je mangerai la nourriture.
- The food will be eaten by me $\rightarrow$ I will eat the food.
Les gâteaux étaient faits par ma mère $\rightarrow$ Ma mère faisait les gâteaux.
- The cakes were being made by my mum $\rightarrow$ My mum was making the cakes.

1Everyday Activities

2Personal & Social Life

2.1Self, Family & Friends

2.1.1Greetings

2.1.2How Are You?

2.1.3Describing Yourself

2.1.4Physical Appearance

2.1.5Personality

2.1.6Family Members

2.1.7Other Family Members

2.1.8Role Model

2.1.9Childhood

2.1.10Friends

2.1.11Opinions on Friends

2.1.12Relationships

2.1.13Self, Family & Friends - Listening

2.2In the Home

2.2.1Home

2.2.2Rooms of the House

2.2.3In Your House

2.2.4Furniture & Furnishing

2.2.5Household Appliances

2.2.6Daily Routine

2.2.7Chores

2.2.8Pocket Money

2.2.9Home: Verbs & Expressions

2.2.10Routine - Listening

2.2.11In the Home - Listening

2.3Colours

2.3.1Colours

2.3.2More Colours

2.3.3Colours - Listening

2.4Clothes & Accessories

2.4.1Clothes (1/2)

2.4.2Clothes (2/2)

2.4.3Accessories

2.4.4Style & Fashion

2.4.5Clothes & Accessories: Verbs

2.4.6Clothes - Listening

2.5Leisure Time

2.5.1Free Time

2.5.2Music

2.5.3Cinema

2.5.4TV

2.5.5Sport

2.5.6Why Do You Play Sports?

2.5.7Different Sports

2.5.8Sports With Jouer

2.5.9Sports With Faire (1/2)

2.5.10Sports With Faire (2/2)

2.5.11Cinema & TV - Listening

3The World Around Us

3.1People & Places

3.1.1Continents

3.1.2Masculine Countries

3.1.3Feminine Countries

3.1.4Nationalities

3.1.5Compass Points

3.1.6People & Places - Listening

3.2Natural World, Environment, Climate & Weather

3.2.1The Environment

3.2.2Animals

3.2.3Good Weather

3.2.4Bad Weather

3.2.5The Climate - Verbs & Expressions

3.2.6Natural World - Listening

3.3Communications & Technology

3.3.1The Digital World (1/2)

3.3.2The Digital World (2/2)

3.3.3Social Media

3.3.4Documents & Texts

3.3.5Mobile Technology

3.3.6Social Media - Listening

3.3.7Mobile Technology - Listening

3.4The Built Environment

3.4.1Where Do You Live?

3.4.2What is There in Your Region?

3.4.3Places in the Town

3.4.4Things to Do

3.4.5Shops

3.4.6Money Matters

3.4.7The Built Environment - Listening

3.5Measurements

3.5.1Measurements

3.5.2Measurements - Listening

3.6Materials

3.6.1Materials

3.6.2Materials - Listening

4The World of Work

4.1Education

4.1.1School Routine

4.1.2Subjects (1/4)

4.1.3Subjects (2/4)

4.1.4Subjects (3/4)

4.1.5Subjects (4/4)

4.1.6School Life

4.1.7School Trips

4.1.8Education Post-16

4.1.9Learning a Language

4.1.10Education - Listening

4.2Work

4.2.1Jobs (1/2)

4.2.2Jobs (2/2)

4.2.3Career (1/2)

4.2.4Career (2/2)

4.2.5The Workplace

4.2.6Job Applications

4.2.7Charity

4.2.8Work: Verbs & Expressions

4.2.9Work - Listening

5The International World

5.1Culture, Customs, Faiths & Celebrations

5.1.1Culture, Customs, Faiths & Celebrations

5.1.2Festivals & Customs (1/2)

5.1.3Festivals & Customs (2/2)

5.1.4Religious Festivals

5.1.5Festivals in French-Speaking Countries - Listening

6Common Tenses

6.1Present Tense

6.1.1Regular ER Verbs

6.1.2Regular IR Verbs

6.1.3Regular RE Verbs

6.1.4Reflexive Verbs

6.1.5Irregular ER Verbs (1/2)

6.1.6Irregular ER Verbs (2/2)

6.1.7Irregular IR Verbs (1/2)

6.1.8Irregular IR Verbs (2/2)

6.1.9Irregular RE Verbs (1/3)

6.1.10Irregular RE Verbs (2/3)

6.1.11Irregular RE Verbs (3/3)

6.1.12Present Participle (1/2)

6.1.13Present Participle (2/2)

6.1.14Irregular Present Participles

6.1.15Avoir & Être

6.1.16'Depuis' + Present Tense

6.1.17'Venir De' + Present Tense

6.2Perfect Tense

6.2.1Avoir (1/2)

6.2.2Avoir (2/2)

6.2.3Irregular Past Participles (1/2)

6.2.4Irregular Past Participles (2/2)

6.2.5Être ER Verbs

6.2.6Être IR & RE Verbs

6.2.7Irregular Être

6.2.8Avois & Être - Perfect Infinitive

6.2.9Être - Perfect Passive

6.3Imperfect tense

6.3.1Regular ER Verbs

6.3.2Regular IR Verbs

6.3.3Regular RE Verbs

6.3.4Irregular ER Verbs

6.3.5Irregular IR Verbs

6.3.6Irregular RE Verbs

6.3.7Être

6.3.8Être - Imperfect Passive Voice

6.3.9'Depuis' + Imperfect Tense

6.3.10'Venir De' + Imperfect Tense

6.4Imperfect vs Perfect

6.4.1Imperfect vs Perfect: Which One to Use?

6.5Future Tense

6.5.1Regular ER Verbs

6.5.2Regular IR Verbs

6.5.3Regular RE Verbs

6.5.4Irregular Future Stem (1/2)

6.5.5Irregular Future Stem (2/2)

6.5.6Immediate Future

6.5.7Future Passive Voice

7Advanced Tenses

7.1Conditional Tense

7.1.1Regular ER Verbs

7.1.2Regular IR Verbs

7.1.3Regular RE Verbs

7.1.4Irregulars (1/2)

7.1.5Irregulars (2/2)

7.2Pluperfect Tense

7.2.1Avoir (1/2)

7.2.2Avoir (2/2)

7.2.3Être ER

7.2.4Être IR & RE

7.2.5Irregular Être

7.3Present Subjunctive

7.3.1Regular Verbs (1/2)

7.3.2Regular Verbs (2/2)

7.3.3Irregulars (1/2)

7.3.4Irregulars (2/2)

7.3.5Using the Subjunctive

7.3.6Imperative

8Extra Grammar

8.1Articles

8.1.1Definite & Indefinite Articles

8.1.2Partitive Articles

8.1.3'De' After Negative Verb Forms

8.1.4Some

8.2The Passive Voice

8.2.1Être - Present

8.2.2Être - Perfect

8.2.3Être - Future & Imperfect

8.2.4Avoiding the Passive

8.3Pronouns

8.3.1Personal Pronouns (1/2)

8.3.2Personal Pronouns (2/2)

8.3.3Reflexive Pronouns

8.3.4Direct Object Pronouns: Le, La, Les, L'

8.3.5Direct Object Pronouns: Agreement

8.3.6Direct Object Pronouns: Imperative

8.3.7Indirect Object Pronouns: Lui, Leur

8.3.8DO & IO Pronouns: Combination

8.3.9Demonstrative Pronouns

8.3.10Neutral Demonstrative Pronouns

8.3.11Interrogative Pronouns

8.3.12Relative Pronouns

8.3.13Possessive Pronouns

8.3.14Indefinite Pronouns

8.3.15Ça, Cela

8.3.16Celui

8.3.17Emphatic Pronouns

8.4Asking Questions

8.4.1Question Words

8.4.2Question Words: Est-Ce Que...

8.5Nouns

8.5.1Gender: Masculine

8.5.2Gender: Feminine (1/2)

8.5.3Gender: Feminine (2/2)

8.5.4Plurals

8.5.5Irregular Plurals

8.6Prepositions

8.6.1Prepositions (1/3)

8.6.2Prepositions (2/3)

8.6.3Prepositions (3/3)

8.6.4Phrases

8.7Adverbs

8.7.1Forming an Adverb

8.7.2Forming an Adverb: Good, Badly, Fast

8.7.3Adverbs of Time & Place

8.7.4Interrogative Adverbs

8.7.5Common Adverbial Phrases

8.7.6Comparative Adverbs

8.7.7Superlative Adverbs

8.7.8A Lot, Enough, Very

8.7.9Quantifiers

8.8Adjectives

8.8.1Agreement

8.8.2Irregular Agreements

8.8.3No Pattern Irregulars

8.8.4Position (1/2)

8.8.5Position (2/2)

8.8.6Possessive Adjectives

8.8.7Demonstrative

8.8.8Interrogative Adjectives

8.8.9Indefinite

8.8.10Comparative Adjectives

8.8.11Superlative Adjectives

8.8.12Good, Better, Best

8.9Negative

8.9.1Negatives (1/2)

8.9.2Negatives (2/2)

8.10Conjunctions

8.10.1To Make Sentences Longer

8.10.2To Add Extra Information

8.11Miscellaneous

8.11.1Abbreviations

8.11.2Expressions

8.11.3Present

8.12Verbs

8.12.1Boot Verbs

8.12.2Impersonal Verbs

8.12.3Verbs Governing An Infinitive

8.13Numbers

8.13.1Numbers 1-10

8.13.2Numbers 11-20

8.13.3Numbers 21-29

8.13.4Numbers 30-100

8.13.5Parties

8.13.6Ordinal Numbers

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