1. The Direct Object Becomes the Subject:
* In the passive voice, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject.
* Active: They have a great time.
* Passive: A great time is had by them.
2. "Have" Needs a Past Participle:
* "Have" is a helping verb in the passive voice. It's usually followed by the past participle of the main verb.
* Active: She has a new car.
* Passive: A new car is had by her. (This sounds awkward; we'll discuss alternatives below)
3. Alternatives:
* Often, using "have" in the passive voice sounds awkward or unnatural.
* You can usually rephrase the sentence using a different verb or structure:
* Instead of "have a great time," use "enjoy" – "A great time is enjoyed by them."
* Instead of "have a new car," use "own" – "A new car is owned by her."
4. "Have" + Past Participle for Specific Meanings:
* Be careful: You can use "have" + past participle in the passive voice for certain meanings, such as:
* "I have my hair cut" (meaning someone else cuts it)
* "The building has been painted" (meaning someone painted it)
* "He has been told the news" (meaning someone told him)
Important Note: The passive voice is often used to emphasize the receiver of the action or when the doer of the action is unknown or unimportant. However, overusing the passive voice can make your writing sound clunky.