48867 using the passive voice

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28th March, 2013

Grammar Notes
1 Form of the passive voice
The objective of a sentence in the active
voice becomes the subject of a passive verb.
A passive construction is made up of a
subject (receiver of the action) + verb to
be + past participle of main verb.
If you’re changing an active structure into
the passive form, use the verb to be in the
passive in the same tense of the main verb.

They are making a cake for her. (active)
A cake is being made for her. (passive)
2

Use of Active x Passive Sentences

Read these examples attentively:
a) Contractors build 100,000 new homes
in this country every year.
b) More than 100,000 new homes are
built in this country every year (by
contractors)
Notice that in sentence a) we place the
focus on who does the action, while in
sentence b) we emphasise what happens
rather than who does the action.

We can say that when people emphasise the
facts or actions, they prefer to use the
passive voice and when they give more
importance to who does the action they use
the active voice in English.
3 The agent is only included – with by if it adds important information.
This garden was designed in 2001
by my uncle Jeffrey .
4 The passive voice is also used to
describe processes.
Eggs and milk must be added to the bread
dough.
5. If you build a passive sentence with a
modal verb (should, can, could, may, might,
must) you’ll use a passive infinitive ( be
bought, be solved, be built, be done, etc.)
6. Verbs such as ask, give, offer, pay,
send, show, teach and tell, have two
objects – a person (indirect object) and a
thing (direct object). The most common
passive form of sentences with these verbs
is usually with the indirect object becoming
the subject of the passive verb:
She was given a new car last month.

I . Complete the dialogues using passive forms
of the verbs. Read the model.
A: Has anyone repaired the dishwasher?
B: Yes, it has just been repaired. (just - repair)
1 A: Has anyone repaired the dishwasher ?

B: No, it _______________________(not yet –repair)
2 A: Have you thrown those old love letters away ?
B: I don’t remember but they ___________________
( should - not – throw away) in my opinion.
3. A: Your cat doesn’t look well.
B: You’re right. It doesn’t. It should ________(take)
to the vet.
4. A. Have they sold their old car?
B. I think it ____________ ( could – sell ) if it didn’t
cost so much!
5. A. Why didn’t she come to your party?
B. Because she ___________________ (not – invite)
6. A: Do they include service in the bill?
B: Yes, service _______________ (include)
7. A: Will they postpone the meeting?
B. I’m sure the meeting ________________(postpone)
8. A: Can we leave our bicycles in the driveway?
B: No. Bicycles ______________________ (leave) in
the driveway.
9. A: Are they paving the street?
B: Yes, the street _______________________(pave)
10. A: Were they serving dinner when you arrived?
B: Yes, dinner _______________________ (serve)
when I arrived.
11. A: Were you late for dinner? Had they served dinner
when
you arrived?
B: No, I wasn’t late. Dinner _________________
(not- serve) when I arrived.
12. A: Did they have to postpone the meeting?

B: Yes, the meeting ___________________(postpone)


II Rewrite the sentences in the passive form beginning the sentences as shown:
1.

Most people don’t use this bridge very often.
This bridge ____________________________________________________________
2. People speak French and English in Montreal
French and English_______________________________________________________
3. The airline cancels flights every weekend.
Flights _______________________________________________________________
4. They buy new computers every two years.
New computers_________________________________________________________
5. They’re buying new expensive cars for the senators.
New expensive cars _____________________________________________________
6. Millions of people are watching that silly reality show every Saturday night.
That silly reality show ____________________________________________________
7. She ‘s baking an apple pie for us.
An apple pie ___________________________________________________________
8. My friends organised a surprise party for my birthday.
A surprise party _______________________________________________________
9. The manager has showed us the new machine in the factory.
We _________________________________________________________________
10. Nobody told me that George had married an Italian girl.
I __________________________________________________________________
11. He didn’t know that somebody was recording his conversation with a suspect.
He didn’t know his conversation ____________________________________________
12. They should have invited Sue to his party.
Sue ________________________________________________________________

13. Somebody has probably left this mobile phone in the taxi.
This mobile phone ______________________________________________________
14. Somebody could have taken it away by now.
It could _____________________________________________________________
15. Someone can pick you up before 6 a.m. at the hotel, if you want.
You can _____________________________________________________________
16. Nobody can find the missing boy.
The missing boy _______________________________________________________
17. It seems that no one has repaired the dishwasher.
It seems that the dishwasher _____________________________________________________
18. Those men have just cleaned his office.
His office ____________________________________________________________
19. They’ll certainly translate his book into many foreign languages.
His book _____________________________________________________________
20. You must send your complaint to the head office.
Your complaint_________________________________________________________


Task I
1

B: No, it hasn’t been repaired yet.

2

B: I don’t remember but they shouldn’t be thrown away, in my opinion.

3
4.

B: You’re right. It doesn’t. It should be taken to the vet.

5.

B. Because she wasn’t invited .

6.

B: Yes, service is included.

7.

B. I’m sure the meeting will be postponed.

8.

B: No. Bicycles can’t be left in the driveway.

9.

B: Yes, the street is being paved.

10.

B: Yes, dinner was being served when I arrived.

11.

B: No, I wasn’t late. Dinner hadn’t been served when I arrived.

12.

B: Yes, the meeting had to be postponed.

B. I think it could be sold if it didn’t cost so much!

Task II

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.

This bridge isn’t used very often.
French and English are spoken in Montreal.
Flights are cancelled every weekend.
New computers are bought every year.
New expensive cars are being bought for the senators.
That silly reality show is being watched (by millions of people) every Saturday night.
An apple pie is being baked for us.
A surprise party was organised for my birthday.
We’ve been shown the new machine in the factory.
I wasn’t told that George had married an Italian girl.

He didn’t know his conversation had been recorded.

12. Sue should have been invited to his party.
13. This mobile phone has probably been left in the taxi.
14. It could have been taken by now.
15. You can be picked up before 6 a.m. at the hotel, if you want.
16. The missing boy can’t be found.
17. It seems that the dishwasher hasn’t been repaired.
18. His office has just been cleaned.
19. His book will certainly be translated into many foreign languages.
20. Your complaint must be sent to the head office.