Pre-Intermediate les 2

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• havo
• Leerjaar 1

Anglia

Pre-Intermediate

lesson 2

What does "passive" mean?

The cat bites the man.

The man is bitten (by the cat)

We often use the passive

when we prefer not to mention who or what does the action (for example, it's not known, it's obvious or we don't want to say) so that we can start a sentence with the most important or most logical information

in more formal or scientific writing.

How we make the passive

We make the passive using the verb be + past participle. We start the sentence with the object.

Avatar was directed by James Cameron.

↓ ↓ ↓

Object + be + past participle

It is not always necessary to add who or what did the action.

My flight is cancelled.

↓ ↓ ↓

Object + be + past participle

Tense Example Structure

Present simple 

Alioli is made from oil, garlic and salt. --> is/are + past participle

Past simple

John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963. --> was/were + past participle

Future simple 

The work will be finished next week. --> will be + past participle  

We use the passive voice to change the focus of the sentence.

My bike was stolen. (passive – focus on my bike)

Someone stole my bike. (active – focus on someone)

Only the form of be changes to make the tense. The past participle stays the same. Here are examples of the passive in its most common tenses.

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.

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

Boys like to play soccer.

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

This room has been painted blue.

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

Henry Ford ________ the assembly line.

1. invented
2. was invented
3. is invented
4. were invented

The bus driver ________ yesterday.

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

You should ________ your workbooks to study more.

1. is open
2. was open
3. open
4. opened

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'...

Name 2 things you've learned today.

Do you think that this lesson was enough for you to understand the passive?

1. yes, I got it.
2. no, I still do not understand anything.
3. Well, maybe?
4. I did not pay any attention today.

More exercises

If you feel that you still need to practice more, go and do the online exercises after this slide.

learnenglish.britishcouncil.org

a4esl.org

Workbook 02

Page 20, 21, 22, 23

(Passive and reading)