The passive (1

TENSE Present simple Present continuous Present perfect Past simple Past continuous Past perfect Future simple Be going to Modal verbs

ACTIVE

Everybody calls her Amy. They are building a new school. Have they sent the price list yet? Who made the cake? They were cleaning it. We had finished all the water. Dr Young will examine you. They’re going to fire him.

Nobody can see it. They may/might invite us. People must pay taxes. Everybody should help the poor. We could do that in a shorter time. They would kill him if he did it.

PASSIVE

She is called Amy (by everybody) A new school is being built. Has the price list been sent yet? Who was the cake made by? It was being cleaned. All the water had been finished. You will be examined by Dr Young. He is going to be fired.

It can’t be seen (by anybody). We may/might be invited. Taxes must be paid. The poor should be helped. That could be done in a shorter time. He would be killed if he did it.

Verb + -ing Infinitive -ing form

She likes it when they praise her. I’d like them to give me more money. I remember when they hit me. She likes being (to be) praised. I’d like to be given more money. I remember being hit.

PASSIVE - INTERROGATIVE FORM

• Passive questions typically use the verb be as the auxiliary for inversion. Compare the active and passive form of questions in the following examples.

Does anybody speak English in this hotel? Where did they find the lost child? How long will we keep this secret?

Is English spoken in this hotel? Where was the lost child found? How long will this secret be kept?

USAGE AND EXAMPLES

• The passive form is used when you want to emphasise the object of the action rather than the subject, or when the agent is not very important in the sentence. • It is typically made up of the verb be (which changes tense) with a past participle.

The Direct Object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. • When you specify an agent, it is introduced by the preposition by. Generic agents like everybody, they, people, etc or agents that are logical subjects of the action aren’t usually mentioned in a passive sentence. Study the examples:

Passive subject English The rooms The gallery JFK The paintings

be is are being will be was mustn’t be

Past participle spoken cleaned opened killed touched

(agent)

in this hotel

by the Queen by Leo Harvey Oswald (by anybody)

in 1963

Put a tick next to the sentences containing passive forms in the following popular English proverbs and underline each of them. 0 A man is known by the company he keeps 1 Rome wasn’t built in a day. 2 Every cloud has a silver lining. 3 What may be done at any time will be done at no time. 4 Marriages are made in heaven. 5 Fingers were made before forks. 6 The fish will soon be caught that nibbles at every bait. 7 A fool and his money are soon parted. 8 Don’t cross the bridge till you come to it. 3

Underline the correct verb form in each sentence. 1 The Mona Lisa stole / was stolen in 1911. 2 A lot of champagne produces / is produced in France every year. 3 Your email hasn’t sent / hasn’t been sent yet. 4 The sun is already risen / has already risen. 5 Our bus is arrived / has arrived. Let’s get on.

6

7

8

Mr Ericson doesn’t want to disturb / be disturbed. My car is being repaired / is repaired at the moment. Dinner won’t be served / serve after 9 pm.

Turn the following active questions into passive ones. 1 Who had stolen the jewels? 2 Have they sent all the documents? 3 Who will give the speech at Mark and

Laura’s wedding? 4 What caused the accident? 5 6 7 8

Are they going to fire him? Who can solve this equation? Who opens the gate in the morning? What is frightening you?

Underline the Direct Object in the following active sentences, then turn them into passive ones. Write the agent only when it is necessary.

Henry VIII established the Church of England in 1534. The church of England was established by

Henry VIII in 1534. 1 Nobody has seen Mr Crosby in that restaurant. 2 Dr Throllope will probably examine you tomorrow. 3 Detective Caine is questioning one of the robbers. 4 You should always wash fruit before you eat it. 5 Somebody is cleaning our rooms now. 6 Hundreds of people have seen the UFO. 7 The policeman fined the motorist for drunken driving. 8 Nobody should leave children under 12 at home alone.

26 Listen to the facts and complete the sentences using the correct passive forms of the verbs from the box.

1 2 3 4 5 6

assassinate hit hold invent view use

According to some scholars, Richard III probably killed his two nephews. According to some scholars Richard III’s nephews were probably killed by their uncle. Abraham Lincoln ______________________________ in 1865. The 2016 Olympic Games ______________________________ in Rio. The time machine still ______________________________. What would happen if our planet ______________________________ asteroid? Apparently the band’s website ______________________________ at the moment. You mustn’t use oil that ___________________________ continuously for a while to make crispy French fries.