Transcript passive structure

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The passive: structure
2.1 When the subject is the doer of the
action, the verb is said to be active.
e.g. John wrote the note.
When the subject is the receiver of the
action, the verb is said to be passive.
e.g. The note was written by John.
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Present simple
Active:
Bf/Vs/Ves
They clean the room every day.
Passive: am/are/is + p.p.
The room is cleaned every day.
Past simple
Active:
Ved/saw
He broke the window yesterday.
Passive: was/were + p.p.
The window was broken yesterday.
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Future simple
Active:
will + Bf
He will do the project tomorrow.
Passive:
shall/will + be + p.p.
The project will be done tomorrow.
Present continuous
Active:
am/are/is + ing
They are cleaning the room now.
Passive: am/are/is + being + p.p.
The room is being cleaned now.
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Past continuous
Active:
was/were + ing
They were cleaning the room when I came.
Passive:
was/were + being + p.p.
The room was being cleaned when I came.
Present perfect
Active:
have/has + p.p.
They have eaten the cake.
Passive:
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have/has + been + p.p.
The cake has been eaten.
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Past perfect
Active:
had + p.p.
They had cleaned the room when I came.
Passive: had + been + p.p.
The room had been cleaned when I came.
Future perfect
Active:
will have + p.p.
They will have cleaned the room when you
return.
Passive:
Note:
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will have + been + p.p.
The room will have been cleaned when
you return.
The tenses that are not included in this table do not have the
passive voice.
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2.3 If there is one of the auxiliary verbs
can/could, may/might, must, should,
ought to, have/had to, need not, used
to, be going to, or be to, the passive
is formed by using the same verb +
be + the past participle of the main
verb that follows.
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Active:
I
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can/could
must
may/might
should
ought to
have to
need not
am going to
am to
used to
The passive: structure
do
it this way.
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Passive:
It
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can/could
must
may/might
should
ought to
has to
need not
is going to
is to
used to
be done this way.
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2.4 In the passive sentence, the doer of the
action (by + agent) is not usually
mentioned when:
 it is a general term
Active:
Workers use different tools to make
different things.
Passive: Different tools are used to make
different things.
Compare:
Active:
My brother made this bookcase.
Passive: This bookcase was made by my brother.
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 it is unknown
Active:
Someone has stolen the money.
Passive:
The money has been stolen.
Compare:
Active:
One of the clerks has stolen the money.
Passive:
The money has been stolen (by one of the clerks).
 it is a pronoun
Active:
They are holding a debate.
Passive:
A debate is being held.
Compare:
Active:
The students of Class A held a debate yesterday.
Passive:
A debate was held (by the students of Class A)
yesterday.
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2.5 Prepositions after certain verbs retain
their position after the verb in the
passive sentence.
Active:
I don’t think they will turn down
your application.
Passive: I don’t think your application
will be turned down.
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2.6
Some verbs such as ask, tell, give, offer, show,
teach, pay, etc. can take two objects.
They offered the right candidate a high salary.
In the passive sentence, either of these two
objects can be the subject:
The right candidate was offered a high salary.
A high salary was offered to the right candidate.
However, it is more usual for the passive
sentence to begin with the person:
The right candidate was offered a high salary.
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2.7 Some verbs are followed by an infinitive
without to. In the passive voice, the
infinitive takes to.
I saw him take the dictionary.
He was seen to take the dictionary.
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2.8 Sentences beginning with People say,
People believe, People know, etc. may
be changed into the passive voice in
either of these two ways:
People say that he is innocent.
It is said that he is innocent.
He is said to be innocent.
They say that she was an actress.
It is said that she was an actress.
She is said to have been an actress.
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Exercise 2
A
Rewrite the following sentences in the passive voice.
Hint: In changing a sentence from active to passive, follow these
steps:
1) Find the object of the verb. Then make it the
subject of the passive sentence. If the object is a
pronoun, change it into the subject form.
2) Change the voice of the verb. In doing so, remember:
a) You must not change the tense.
b) The verb should agree in person and number
with the subject of the passive sentence.
3) Mention the doer of the action (by + agent) only
where necessary.
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1
Many companies use computers nowadays.
Computers are used by / in many companies
nowadays.
2
The workers are repairing the road.
The road is being repaired.
3
They are going to pull down that old building.
That old building is going to be pulled down.
4
They gave me 24 hours to make my decision.
I was given 24 hours to make my decision.
5
We can use coal in many ways.
Coal can be used in many ways.
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6
7
8
9
10
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The teacher made him do the exercise again.
He was made to do the exercise again.
The singer will release her new album next week.
(Begin with the given words.)
The singer’s new album will be released next week.
They will have finished the report by the end of
this month.
The report will have been finished by the end of
this month.
I’m sure she has sent her application.
(Begin with the given words.)
I’m sure her application has been sent.
Every driver ought to obey traffic rules.
Traffic rules ought to be obeyed by every driver.
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I doubt if we should tell her the truth now.
I doubt if she should be told the truth now.
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She heard him say that.
He was heard to say that.
13
They used to broadcast all programmes live.
All programmes used to be broadcast live.
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You have left out his name.
His name has been left out.
They were giving out the names of the
prize-winners when a fight broke out.
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The names of the prize-winners were
being given out when a fight broke out.
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B Change the following sentences into the passive voice.
The first one has been done for you.
1 The suspect may be hiding in Macau.
2
3
4
It is said that the suspect may be hiding in Macau.
The newspaper says that the suspect has been
caught.
It is reported that the suspect has been caught.
There is a great possibility that Mr Wong will resign
next month.
Mr Wong is believed to be resigning next month.
According to the newspaper it is likely that they
will call a strike for tomorrow.
The strike is expected to be called for tomorrow.
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5
6
7
There is a rumour that the officer has taken bribes.
The officer is alleged to have taken bribes.
The police think that the thieves got in through the
rear window.
The thieves are thought to have got in through the
rear window.
People say that Mr Chan was involved in the case.
Mr Chan is said to have been involved in the
case.
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Miss Wong is getting married soon.
Miss Wong is known to be getting married
soon.
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C
Change the following sentences into the passive voice.
The first one has been done for you.
1
We do not often see carriages these days.
Carriages are not often seen these days.
2
They will not hold the meeting tomorrow morning.
The meeting will not be held tomorrow morning.
3
The secretary has not typed the letter yet.
The letter has not been typed by the secretary yet.
4
She did not clean the carpet this morning.
The carpet was not cleaned this morning.
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5
They are not discussing the matter now.
The matter is not being discussed now.
6
She does not keep her jewellery at home.
Her jewellery is not kept at home.
7
They will not allow any reporters into the
conference room during the negotiation.
No reporters will be allowed into the conference
room during the negotiation.
8
She did not say anything to explain her absence.
Nothing was said to explain her absence.
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D Read the first sentence. Then ask a question with the
given words. The first one has been done for you.
1
paint / your brother
This picture is beautiful.
Was it painted by your brother?
2
make / gold
This watch is expensive. Is it made of gold?
it / can / deal with
This letter doesn’t seem to be important.
Can it be dealt with later?
3
4
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it / be going to / demolish
This old building looks dangerous.
When is it going to be demolished?
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5
6
7
8
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anybody / injure
I hear that there was an accident this morning.
Was anybody injured?
she / find
They told me the missing girl has returned home.
Where was she found?
steal
I heard from Melinda that someone broke into
your house last night.
What has been stolen?
What was stolen?
choose
The debate will take place tomorrow.
Who will be chosen to represent our school?
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E Use the correct form of the given verbs to complete this
dialogue. The first one has been done for you.
I’m afraid it (1) is still
being typed (still /type)
by the secretary.
Is the letter ready,
Miss Lee?
Why it (2) is taking (take) her so
long? She is supposed (3) to have
finished (finish) it hours ago.
Miss Lee
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She (4) was
was not
not told
told (not /
tell) to type it until about
10 minutes ago.
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Mr Wong
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But I (5) gave
gave (give) the draft
to Jason this morning.
He must have forgotten. He is said
(6) to be too occupied (too / occupy)
with the new project.
Can’t anybody help him?
Miss Lee
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He was heard (7) to say (say)
that nobody could (8) be trusted
(trust) with the job.
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Mr Wong
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Then he (9) deserves (deserve) it.
Well, there’s nothing I can (10) do
do
(do) about it but wait, I’m afraid.
Please tell the secretary to give the
has
letter to me as soon as it (11) has
been finished / is finished (finish).
Miss Lee
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Sure.
Mr Wong
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