Passives

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 5

What is the opposite of 'passive'?

What does 'passive' mean?

The defender tackles the striker.

What is the subject of this sentence?

1. The defender
2. tackles
3. the striker
4. Unknown

The defender tackles the striker.

What is the action in this sentence?

1. The defender
2. tackles
3. the striker
4. Unknown

The defender tackles the striker.

Who/what is actively doing the action?

1. The defender
2. tackles
3. the striker
4. Unknown

The defender tackles the striker.

Does the subject do the action?

1. Yes
2. No

Active sentences

Subject actively does the action in the sentence.

The defender tackles the striker.

The teacher has discussed the grammar.

The kids visted their grandparents.

The show was presented by a celebrity.

What is the subject of this sentence?

1. The show
2. was presented
3. a celebrity
4. Unknown

The show was presented by a celebrity.

What is the action in this sentence?

1. The show
2. was presented
3. a celebrity
4. Unknown

The show was presented by a celebrity.

Who/what is actively doing the action?

1. The show
2. was presented
3. a celebrity
4. Unknown

The show was presented by a celebrity.

Does the subject do the action?

1. Yes
2. No

Passive sentences

The subject does not do the action in the sentence.
The action is usually done to the subject (by 'the agent').

The show was presented by a celebrity.
A celebrity presented the show.

The striker had been tackled by a defender.
A defender had tackled the striker.

The dog is being bullied by its owners.

The owners are bullying the dog.

How to recognize a passive sentence...

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

- Is that form followed by a past participle (done, taken, sent)?

- Are those verbs followed by 'by + noun' or 'by + pronoun'?

OR can it be followed by 'by zombies'?

Are all answers 'yes'? 

Congratulations! You have a passive sentence.  🥳

This room has been painted blue.

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

The Government is planning a new road near my house.

1. passive
2. active

Making a passive sentence

Angry penguins | attack | my sister.

Subject (S)                              Object (O)

1. Object moves to the front of the sentence

2. Check the tense of the sentence
present tense? use am / is / are    |       past tense? use: was / were

3. Change the verb into the past participle.

My sister is attacked (by angry penguins // by zombies).

Rewrite the sentence using a passive voice.

Somebody steals my chocolate.

Rewrite the sentence using a passive voice.

A man kicks my cat.

Turn into a passive:

A child was stealing wallets.

Rewrite the sentence using the passive voice.

A murderer killed my neighbour.

Rewrite the sentence using the passive voice.

Penguins are attacking my sister.

Rewrite the sentence using the passive voice.
Da Vinci was painting the Mona Lisa.

What have you learned today?

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