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Unit 42 · Passive

Passive 1 (is done / was done)

Study

A

This house was built in 1981.

'This house was built' is passive.

Compare active and passive:

›

Somebody built this house in 1981. (active)

›

This house was built in 1981. (passive)

When we use an active verb, we say what the subject does:

›

My grandfather was a builder. He built this house in 1981.

›

It's a big company. It employs two hundred people.

When we use a passive verb, we say what happens to the subject:

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'How old is this house?' 'It was built in 1981.'

›

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 etc.) + past participle (done/cleaned/seen etc.):

(be) done (be) cleaned (be) damaged (be) built (be) seen etc.

The past participle often ends in -ed (cleaned/damaged etc.), but many important verbs are irregular (built/done/stolen etc.). See Appendix 1.

Compare active and passive, present simple and past simple:

Present simple

active: clean(s) / see(s) etc.

›

Somebody cleans this room 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 invited to parties very often.

›

How is this word pronounced?

Past 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 in the robbery?

Passive 2–3 ➜ Units 43–44 · by ➜ Unit 128

Exercises (4)

0/4 exercises checked
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42.1

Complete the sentences. Use these verbs in the correct form, present or past:

causedamagefindholdinjureinvitemakeovertakeownsendshowsurround
  1. 1
    Many accidents by careless driving.example
  2. 2
    Cheese from milk.
  3. 3
    The roof of the building in a storm a few days ago.
  4. 4
    A cinema is a place where films .
  5. 5
    You to the party. Why didn't you go?
  6. 6
    This plant is very rare. It in very few places.
  7. 7
    Although we were driving fast, we by a lot of other cars.
  8. 8
    In the US, elections for president every four years.
  9. 9
    There was an accident last night, but fortunately nobody .
  10. 10
    You can't see the house from the road. It by trees.
  11. 11
    I never received the letter. It to the wrong address.
  12. 12
    The company I work for by a much larger company.
42.2

Write questions using the passive. Some are present and some are past.

  1. 1
    Ask about glass. (how / make?) example
  2. 2
    Ask about television. (when / invent?) When
  3. 3
    Ask about mountains. (how / form?)
  4. 4
    Ask about DNA. (when / discover?)
  5. 5
    Ask about silver. (what / use for?)
42.3

Put the verb into the correct form, present or past, active or passive.

  1. 1
    a Two hundred people (employ) by the company. b The company (employ) 200 people.example
  2. 2
    a Water (cover) most of the earth's surface. b How much of the earth's surface (cover) by water?
  3. 3
    a While I was on holiday, my camera (steal) from my hotel room. b While I was on holiday, my camera (disappear) from my hotel room.
  4. 4
    a Robert's parents (die) when he was very young. b Robert and his sister (bring up) by their grandparents.
  5. 5
    a The boat hit a rock and (sink) quickly. b Fortunately everybody (rescue).
  6. 6
    a Bill (fire) from his job. He wasn't very good at it. b Sue (resign) from her job because she didn't enjoy it any more.
  7. 7
    a It can be noisy living here, but it (not / bother) me. b It can be noisy living here, but I (not / bother) by it.
  8. 8
    a Maria had an accident. She (knock) off her bike. b Maria had an accident. She (fall) off her bike.
  9. 9
    a I haven't seen these flowers before. What (they / call)? b I haven't seen these flowers before. What (you / call) them?
42.4

Instead of using somebody, they, people etc., write a passive sentence.

  1. 1
    Somebody cleans the room every day. example
  2. 2
    They cancelled all flights because of fog. All
  3. 3
    Somebody accused me of stealing money.
  4. 4
    How do you use this word? How used?
  5. 5
    The price includes all taxes. All in the price.
  6. 6
    People warned us not to go out alone.
  7. 7
    We don't use this office any more. This
  8. 8
    They invited five hundred people to the wedding.