A. Study this example:
This
house was built in 1930.
'Was
built' is passive. Compare active and passive:
Somebody
built this house (object) in 1930. (active)
This
house (subject) was built in 1930. (passive)
We use
an active verb to say what the subject does:
* My
grandfather was a builder. He built this house in 1930.
* It's a
big company. It employs two hundred people.
We use a
passive verb to say what happens to the subject:
* This
house is quite old. It was built in 1930.
* Two
hundred people are employed by the company.
B.
When we use the passive, who or what causes the action is often unknown or
unimportant:
* A lot
of money was stolen in the robbery. (somebody stole it but we don't know who)
* Is
this room cleaned every day? (does somebody clean it?--it's not important who)
If we
want to say who does or what causes the action, we use by...
* This
house was built by my grandfather.
* Two
hundred people are employed by the company.
C. The
passive is be (is/was/have been etc.) + the past participle (done/cleaned/seen
etc.):
(be)
done (be) cleaned (be) seen
(be) damaged (be) built etc.
For
irregular past participles (done/known/seen etc.), see Appendix 1.
Study
the active and passive forms of the present simple and past simple:
Present
simple
active:
clean(s)/see(s) etc.
Somebody
cleans this every day.
passive:
am/is/are cleaned/seen etc.
This
room is cleaned every day.
* Many
accidents are caused by careless driving.
* I'm
not often invited to parties.
* How is
this word pronounced?
Present
simple
active:
cleaned/saw etc.
Somebody
cleaned this room yesterday.
passive:
was/were cleaned/seen etc.
This
room was cleaned yesterday.
* We
were woken up by a loud noise during the night.
* 'Did
you go to the party?' 'No, I wasn't invited.'
* How
much money was stolen?
EXERCISES
41.1
Complete the sentences using one of these verbs in the correct form:
cause damage hold
include invite make
overtake show translate
write
1. Many
accidents _are caused_ by dangerous driving.
2.
Cheese --- from milk.
3. The
roof of the building --- in a storm a few days ago.
4.
There's no need to leave a tip. Service --- in the bill.
5. You
--- to the wedding. Why didn't you go?
6. A
cinema is a place where films ---
7. In
the United States, elections for President --- every four years.
8.
Originally the book --- in Spanish and a few years ago it
9. We
were driving along quite fast but we --- by lots of other cars.
41.2
Write questions using the passive. Some are present and some are past.
1. Ask
about the telephone. (when/invent?)
_When
was the telephone invented?_
2. Ask
about glass. (how/make?) How ---
3. Ask
about Australia. (when/discover?)
4. Ask
about silver. (what/use for?)
5. Ask
about television. (when/invent?)
41.3 Put
the verb into the correct form, present simple or past simple, active or
passive.
1. It's
a big factory. Five hundred people _are employed_ (employ) there.
2. Water
--- (cover) most of the Earth's surface.
3. Most
of the Earth's surface --- (cover) by water.
4. The
park gates --- (lock) at 6.30 p.m. every evening.
5. The
letter --- (post) a week ago and it --- (arrive) yesterday.
6. The
boat --- (sink) quickly but fortunately everybody --- (rescue).
7. Ron's
parents --- (die) when he was very young. He and his sister --- (bring) up by
their grandparents.
8. I was
born in London but I --- (grow) up in the north of England.
9. While
I was on holiday, my camera --- (steal) from my hotel room.
10.
While I was on holiday, my camera --- (disappear) from my hotel room.
11. Why
--- (Sue/resign) from her job? Didn't she enjoy it?
12. Why
--- (Bill/sack) from his job? What did he do wrong?
13. The
company is not independent. It --- (own) by a much larger company.
14. I
saw an accident last night. Somebody --- (call) an ambulance but nobody ---
(injure) so the ambulance --- (not/need).
15.
Where --- (these photographs/take)? In London? --- (you/take) them?
41.4
Rewrite these sentences. Instead of using 'somebody/they/people' etc. write a
passive sentence.
1.
Somebody cleans the room every day. _The room is cleaned every day._
2. They
cancelled all flights because of fog. All ---
3.
People don't use this road very often. ---
4.
Somebody accused me of stealing money. I ---
5. How
do people learn languages? How ---
6.
People advised us not to go out alone. ---
Answers
41.1
2 is
made
3 was
damaged
4 is
included
5 were
invited
6 are
shown
7 are
held
8 was
written ... was translated
9 were
overtaken
41.2
2 How is
glass made?
3 When
was Australia discovered?
4 What
is silver used for?
5 When
was television invented?
41.3
2 covers
3 is
covered
4 are
locked
5 was
posted ... arrived
6 sank
... was rescued
7 died
... were brought
8 grew
9 was
stolen
10
disappeared
11 did
Sue resign
12 was
Bill sacked
13 is
owned
14
called ... was injured ... wasn't needed
15 were
these photographs taken ... Did you take
41.4
2 All
flights were cancelled because of fog.
3 This
road isn't used very often.
4 I was
accused of stealing money.
5 How
are languages learnt?
6 We
were advised not to go out alone.
