Transcript THE PASSIVE
THE PASSIVE 2nd of Bachillerato USES THE PASSIVE VOICE IS VERY COMMON IN ENGLISH AND IT IS USED TO: -TO FOCUS THE ATTENTION ON THE ACTION RATHER THAN ON THE SUBJECT WHO DOES IT. How many people are injured in road accidents every day? I’m not going to the party. I haven’t been invited. - WHEN THE SUBJECT OF THE ACTION IS OBVIOUS, UNKNOWN OR WE DO NOT WANT TO NAME IT. The new hotel will be opened next year. The music at the party was very loud and could be heard from far away. - TO AVOID A SENTENCE WITH A SUBJECT SUCH AS THEY, SOMEBODY, ANYBODY, ETC. Somebody cleaned this room yesterday This room was cleaned yesterday. Is anybody serving you, madam? Are you being served, madam? STRUCTURE 1.- WRITE THE VERB ‘TO BE’ IN THE SAME TENSE OF THE MAIN VERB IN THE ACTIVE SENTENCE. A group of small children are feeding the monkeys The monkeys are being fed by a small group of children. 2.- IN A NEGATIVE SENTENCE, WE ONLY ADD NOT TO THE AUXILIAR ‘TO BE’. A greengrocer doesn’t sell fish Fish isn’t sold by a greengrocer. 3.- IN AN INTERROGATIVE SENTENCE, WE DO THE AUXILIAR-SUBJECT INVERSION. When did they build this castle? When was this castle built? 4.- IF THERE IS A MODAL, A FUTURE TENSE OR A COMPOUND TENSE, THE PASSIVE SENTENCE STARTS WITH THE SAME MODAL OR AUXILIAR VERB OF THE ACTIVE SENTENCE. They have made mistakes before Mistakes have been made before. Somebody ought to have turned off that tap properly That tap ought to have been turned off properly. STRUCTURE 5.- INTERROGATIVE SENTENCES WITH A WH-PRONOUN FOLLOW THE AUXILIAR SUBJECT INVERSION, EXCEPT WHEN THE PRONOUN IS THE SUBJECT OF THE QUESTION. When are they celebrating the party? When is the party being celebrated? Who are you going to invite? Who is going to be invited? 6.- THE FIRST OBJECT (EITHER DIRECT OR INDIRECT) OF THE ACTIVE SENTENCE BECOMES THE SUBJECT OF THE PASSIVE ONE. They didn’t offer the job to Anne The job wasn’t offered to Anne. They didn’t offer Anne the job Anne wasn’t offered the job. (This structure is impossible in Spanish) IF THE INDIRECT OBJECT IS A PRONOUN, IT MUST BECOME THE SUBJECT OF THE PASSIVE SENTENCE. They gave me two hours to make my decision I was given two hours to make my decision. THIS PASSIVE IS OFTEN USED WITH THE VERBS GIVE, SHOW, TELL, ASK, OFFER, PAY, PROMISE, LEND, SELL, TEACH AND SEND WHICH HAVE DOUBLE OBJECT. STRUCTURE 7.- THE SUBEJCT OF THE ACTIVE SENTENCE BECOMES THE AGENT OF THE PASSIVE ONE. IT APPEARS AT THE END OF THE SENTENCE PRECEEDED BY THE PREPOSITION BY. Emily Brontë wrote Wuthering Heights Wuthering Heights was written by Emily Brontë. IN SOME CASES, WE WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE PERFORMER OF THE ACTION. IF THE SUBJECT IS A PERSONAL PRONOUN, IT MUST BE CHANGED BY THE CORRESPONDENT OBJECT PRONOUN. She will visit Egypt next year Egypst will be visited by her next year. IT IS SAID THAT / (HE) IS SAID TO WITH VERBS SUCH AS SAY, THINK, BELIEVE, KNOW, REPORT, UNDERSTAND, CONSIDER, EXPECT, IT IS POSSIBLE TO USE TWO PASSIVE FORMS: 1.- AN IMPERSONAL STRUCTURE WITH IT+ PASSIVE VERB + A THAT CLAUSE It is said that Henry eats tens eggs a day It is expected that the strike will begin tomorrow. It is reported that two people were killed in the explosion. 2.- PERSON (WE TALK ABOUT) + PASSIVE VERB + INFINITIVE Henry is said to eat ten eggs a day. The strike is expected to begin tomorrow. Two people are reported to have been killed in the explosion. HAVE / GET SOMETHING DONE VERBS HAVE / GET + NOUN + PARTICIPLE EXPRESS ACTIONS THAT WE ASK OTHERS TO DO FOR US. IT HAS A PASSIVE MEANING BECAUSE THE NOUN IN THE MIDDLE RECEIVES THE ACTION FROM THE VERB IN PARTICIPLE. HOWEVER, IT IS TRANSLATED AS AN ACTIVE SENTENCE. GET IS MORE INFORMAL SO IT IS MORE USED IN ORAL SPEECH. Jill had the roof repaired. I think you should get your hair cut. We are having the house painted at the moment. ACTIVITIES TRANSFORM THE SENTENCES FROM ACTIVE TO PASSIVE VOICE: 1. They don’t pay Jim very much. Jim isn’t paid very much. 2. They will ask you a lot of questions at the interview. You will be asked a lot of questions at the interview. 3. Nobody told me that John was ill. I wasn’t told that John was ill. 4. The bill includes service. Service is included in the bill. 5. People should send their complaints to the head office. The complaints should be sent to the head office. 6. An electrical fault could have caused the fire. The fire could have been caused by an electrical fault. 7. It is said that many people are homeless after the floods. Many people are said to be homeless after the floods. 8. I didn’t realise that someone was recording our conversation. I didn’t realise that our conversation was being recorded.