Grammar III Cristina Castro The Passive
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The Passive Active Millions of people buy it. Someone published it in 1888. They have reached their goal.
Passive statements Subject be (not) It is (not) It was (not) Their goal has not been
Passive It is bought by millions of people. It was published in 1888. Their goal has been reached.
Past Participle By + Object Complement bought by millions of people published in 1888. reached
Yes / No Questions Be / Have Subject (Been) + Past Participle Is Sold Was it in Japan? Has been sold
Short Answers Affirmative Yes it
Negative is isn´t was No it wasn´t has (been) hasn´t (been)
Wh- Questions Wh- word Be / Have Subject (Been +) Past Participle Where is was it sold? has been sold?
Grammar Rules: 1. Active and passive sentences often have similar meanings, but a different focus: a. Active sentences focus on the agent (the person or thing doing the action). Millions of people read the magazine. (The focus is on people.) b. Passive sentences focus on the object (the person or thing receiving the action). The magazine is read by millions of people. (The focus is on the magazine).
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2. Form the passive with a form of be + past participle. It is written in more than 20 different languages. It was first published in 1888. It has been sold all over the world. Only transitive verbs (verbs that can be objects) have passive forms. Ed Bly wrote that article. That article was written by Ed Bly (passive form) It seems interesting It was seemed interesting. (no passive form) 3. Use the passive in the following situations: a. When the agent (the person or thing doing the action) is unknown or not important. The magazine was started in 1888. (I don’t know who started it). The magazine is sold at newsstands. (it is not important who sells it) b. When you want to avoid mentioning the agent. Some mistakes were made in that article in Bolivia. (I know who made the mistake, but I don´t want to blame the person.) 4. Use the passive with by if you mention the agent. Only mention the agent when it is important to know who it is. The photographs in this article are wonderful. They were taken by a famous photojournalist. One of the first cameras was invented by Daguerre. In most cases you don´t need to mention an agent in passive sentences. Do not include an agent unnecessarily.
Ed Bly took a really great photo. It was taken last February, but it won´t appear until May. Not: It was taken last February by him…
The Passive with Modals and Similar Expressions: Statements Subject Modal Be Past Participle will (not) should (not) The crew must (not) be replaced next month. can (not) had better (not)
Statements Subject Have got to / Be going to
The crew
has got to doesn´t have to is not going to
Be Past Participle
be
replaced
next month. 3
Yes / No Questions Modal Subject Be Past participle Will Should it be replaced? Must Can
Short Answers Affirmative Yes
Negative will won´t it should No it shouldn’t must doesn’t have to be can can’t
Yes / Questions Auxiliary Verb Subject Have to / Going to be Past Participle Does it have to be replaced? Is going to
Short Answers Affirmative Negative Yes it does No, it doesn´t is isn´t
Grammar Rules: 1. After a modal, form the passive with be + past participle. The shuttle will be used to complete the space situation. The crew won´t be replaced this month. The new menu must be planned very carefully. Decisions shouldn’t be made too quickly. 2. Use will or be going to with the passive to talk about the future. The project will be completed in five years The project is going to be completed in five years. 3. Use can with the passive to express present ability. Use could with the passive to express past ability. The space station can be seen from Earth. It could be seen very clearly last year too. 4. Use could, may, might, and can´t with the passive to express future possibility or impossibility. 4
It could be completed very soon. Tourists may be invited. Plants might be grown on board. The job can´t be done by just one person. 5. Use have (got) to, had better, should, ought to, and must with the passive to express. a. Obligation: Privacy had better be respected. b. Advisability: The crew should be prepared to deal with cultural differences. Crew members ought to be given cross-cultural training. c. Necessity: Everyone must be consulted. Free time has (got) to be provided.
The Passive Causative: Statements Subject She He I They
Have / Get has has had get are going to get
Object her hair his beard my nails their ears
Yes / No Questions Auxiliary Verb Subject Have / Get Does she have Has he had Do you get Are they going to get
Wh- Questions Wh- word How often Where When Why
Auxiliary Verb does did do are
Subject she he you they
Past Participle By + Agent cut by André every month. trimmed before. done at André´s. pierced
Object Past Participle by + Agent her hair cut by André? his beard trimmed before? your nails done at André´s? their ears pierced?
Have / Get have get get going to get
Object her hair his beard your nails their ears
Past Participle By + Agent cut by André? trimmed before? done at André’s pierced?
Grammar Rules: 1. Form the passive causative with the appropriate form of have or get + object + past participle. Have and get have the same meaning. I get my hair cut by André. I have my hair cut by André. 5
The passive causative can be used with. a. All verb forms. I will have the car washed tomorrow. b. Modals. You should get the oil changed. c. Gerunds. I love having my hair done. d. Infinitives. I want to get it colored. 2. Use the passive causative to talk about services that you arrange for someone to do for you. I used to color my own hair, but now I have it colored. André is going to get his hair salon remodeled by a local architect. Do not confuse the passive causative with had with the past perfect. Passive causative with had:
It had it colored last week. (someone did it for me)
Past Perfect: I had colored it before. (I did it myself) 3. Use by when it is necessary to mention the agent (the person doing the service). This week Lynne is getting her hair done by a new stylist. Practices: http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/active_passive/form_sentences_simple_past.htm http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/complex_tests/passive1/index.php http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/complex_tests/passive2/index.php http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/active_passive/active_or_passive.htm http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/active_passive/active_or_passive.htm http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/active_passive/active_or_passive1.htm http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/active_passive/active_or_passive2.htm http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/active_passive/questions.htm 6
http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/active_passive/passive_sentences1.htm http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/active_passive/sentences_simple_past.htm http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/active_passive/sentences_simple_present.htm http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/active_passive/objects_tenses.htm http://www.englisch-hilfen.de/en/exercises/active_passive/form_sentences_simple_past.htm
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