Unit 18

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 4

Unit 18

The passive

Active and passive verb forms

Match the newspaper headlines with the crimes they refer to

1. burglary

2. firearm offences

3. street crime

4. car crime

5. vandalism

Street art sprayed in capital

More kids attacked in mobile thefts

Gun controls failing, says police chief

Gang linked to 500 break-ins

Vehicle theft cost €800m

Exercise 1.3 (page 126)

Listen to the minister speaking.

Are the statements true or false?

Answers

1. True
2. False:  Peter Miles was appointed head of the police service
   
3. True
   
4. False: Other countries are thinking of copying the scheme.
   
5. True
   
6. False: She said she didn’t know.
   
7. False: She admitted that there might be mistakes in the figures.
   
8. False: There is a campaign to reassure people it is falling.
   

Exercise 1.4 (page 126)

Listen again and complete the extracts with the exact words used in the recording.

Answers

1. was given (passive)
2. have been arrested (passive)
3. are seeing (active)
4. have become (active)
5. were caught (passive)
6. was broken into (passive)

What do you remember
from the passive?

The passive

The action (verb) is done by somebody or something else

• This room is cleaned every Friday.
• The two men were arrested last night.
• I lost my phone and it hasn't been found yet.

Usage is the same as in active

• Present Passive:
  facts / routines
  The room is cleaned every Friday.
  
  
• Present Continuous Passive:
  happening now, decisions made and arranged (future)
  The room is being cleaned as we speak.
  
  
• Present Perfect Passive:
  not sure when it happened, existed in past and still exist now, repeated action which might happen again
  The room has been cleaned.

Usage is the same as in active

• Past Passive:
  know when it happened, started & ended in the past, deceased people
  The room was cleaned last Friday.
  
  
• Past Continuous Passive:
  ongoing action in the past (interrupted by different action)
  The room was being cleaned when I entered the room.
  
  
• Past Perfect Passive:
  events that happened before a different event in the past
  The room had been cleaned when we entered the room.

Usage is the same as in active

• Future Passive [1]:
  predictions based on experience or opinion, decision without planning
  The room will probably be cleaned next Friday.
  
  
• Future passive [2]:
  predictions based on facts, intentions
  She told me the room is going to be cleaned next Friday.
  
  
• Modal Passive:
  passive form in combination with modal verbs
  The room might be cleaned next Friday.

Keep in mind

The passive is (mostly) created by using a form 

of the verb be and a past participle.

This room is cleaned every Friday.

The two men were arrested last night.

My keys haven’t been found yet.

I would like to get the explanation about the passive again.

Yes

No

Continue

In pairs / groups of three:
Continue working on exercises 3.1 - 3.3 on page 129 - 131.

Check the answers with the key in the back of your book.

Finished quickly and want to practice more with Reading and Use of English part 7?
Do the exercise on page 132 as well.

Present Simple Passive

Usage:

• facts and routines

Examples:

• The room is cleaned every Friday. (routine)
• Our dog is trained by the 'Dog Whisperer'. (routine/fact)
• The boys are taught English at school. (routine/fact)

Form

• am / are / is + past participle
  

Present Continuous Passive

Usage:

• happening now, decisions made and arranged (future)

Form

• am / are / is + being + past participle
  

Examples:

• The dishes are being cleaned as we speak. (happening now)
• He is being told to leave the girl alone. (happening now)
• They are being tested tomorrow. (decision made and arranged)

Past Simple Passive

Usage:

• know when it happened, started & ended in the past, deceased people

Examples:

• The Persians were killed by the Spartans (deceased people)
• Othello was written by Shakespeare. (deceased person)
• The boys were caught fighting at school last week. (started/ended in the past)

Form

• was / were + past participle
  

Past Continuous Passive

Usage:

• ongoing action in the past (interrupted by different action)

Form:

• was / were + being + past participle

Examples:

• The kitchen was being cleaned when the CEO entered.
• A test was being done when the alarm went off.
• They weren't home because they were being tested at the doctor's.

Present Perfect Passive

Usage:

• not sure when it happened, existed in past and still exist now, repeated action which might happen again

Form:

• have / has + been + past participle

Examples:

• The kitchen has already been cleaned. (not sure when it happened)
• Mistakes have been made. (might happen again)
• The products have been tested by many people. (not sure when it happened)

Past Perfect Passive

Usage:

• events that happened before a different event in the past

Form:

• had + been + past participle

Examples:

• The kitchen had already been cleaned when the chef entered.
• Mistakes had been made, so  the burglar could not be convicted.
• The products had been tested by many people before they were released.

Future Passive [1]

Usage:

• predictions based on experience or opinion, decision without planning

Form:

• will + be + past participle

Examples:

• You will probably be fired if you continue doing a bad job. 
• I think he will be gone when we arrive.
• He will be tested.

Future Passive [2]

Usage:

• predictions based on facts, intentions

Form:

• am/are/is + going to be + past participle

Examples:

• You are going to be fired if you continue doing a bad job. Our boss told me so.
• People are going to be killed if that murderer finds them.
• He is going to be tested soon.

Modal Passive

Usage:

• with the different modals (can/could/would/should/might/may/must)

Form:

• modal verb + be / have been + past participle

Examples:

• The goods can be imported from Italy. (ability)
• The goods might be imported from Italy. (possibility)
• THe goods must be imported from Italy. (obligation)

Passive with get

Usage:

• often when we talk about negative events: more informal!

Form:

• get + past participle

Examples:

• Some people always get mugged when they are on vacation.
• He got killed in a terrible accident.
• She will get arrested if she isn't careful.

Continue

In pairs / groups of three:
Continue working on exercises 3.1 - 3.3 on page 129 - 131.

Check the answers with the key in the back of your book.

Finished quickly and want to practice more with Reading and Use of English part 7?
Do the exercise on page 132 as well.