Passive

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo, vwo
• Leerjaar 3-6

The passive:

What is it? What is it called in Dutch?​

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Why do we use it in English? ​

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What is the formula for making a passive sentence from an active one?

The passive = lijdende vorm

Een vorm van werkwoorden waarbij het onderwerp de actie van het werkwoord ondergaat in plaats van het te doen, bijvoorbeeld:

"they were killed" (ze werden gedood) 

 in tegenstelling tot de actieve vorm

 "he killed them" (hij heeft ze vermoord")

passive = to be + past participle 

Active = The cat bites the man.

Passive = The man is bitten (by the cat).

What is the subject in this sentence?

The lion bit the man.

(Onderwerp)

The lion bit the man.

What is the object in this sentence?

(Leidend voorwerp)

The lion bit the man.

How to recognize a passive sentence...

- check if there is a form of 'to be' used (am, are, is, was, were, been)

- is it followed by a participle (voltooid deelwoord)?

- is it followed by 'by + noun or pronoun? If not, can it be followed by 'by zombies'?

Are all answers 'yes'? Congratulations, you have a passive sentence.

ACTIVE= He steals a bike.

ACTIVE

ONDERWERP = WIE /WAT het doet staat vooraan de zin.

PASSIVE: The bike is stolen.

PASSIVE

DE ACTIE  staat vooraan. NIET wie het doet

Passive exercises

Decide whether the sentence is active or passive.

The Government is planning a new road near my house.

1. passive
2. active

They often listen to music

1. passive
2. active

She is reading the newspaper now.

1. passive
2. active

These cars are produced in Japan.

1. passive
2. active

Cricket is played in Australia.

1. passive
2. active

The friends have been looking forward to meeting her.

1. passive
2. active

The search will be stopped because of the storm.

1. passive
2. active

Passive exercises

Fill in the correct form of the verb.

Mr Alan ________ Geography at school.

1. teaches
2. teacher
3. were taught
4. was teached

German __________ in Austria.

1. speaks
2. is spoken
3. is speaked
4. speaketh

A lot of houses ___________ by the earthquake in 1906.

1. were destroying
2. destroy
3. have destroyed
4. were destroyed

The bus driver ________ yesterday.

1. hurts
2. were hurt
3. was hurt
4. is hurting

Houses ________________ .

1. have being built
2. have been built
3. have being build
4. have been build

Passive exercises

Make you own passive sentence.

Make a passive. Start with 'a goal'...

Make a passive. Start with 'the oranges'...

How do you feel about the passive?

1. Good, I got it.
2. No, I still do not understand anything - help!
3. Ok, I can work it out at home now.
4. What is the passive?

More exercises

ONLINE EXERCISES IN FOLLOWING SLIDES

www.englisch-hilfen.de

www.englisch-hilfen.de

learnenglish.britishcouncil.org

a4esl.org