2tto Active vs Passive

• Engels
• Middelbare school
• vwo
• Leerjaar 2

Grammar

The active voice

vs. 

The passive voice 

quick quiz

Let's see if you can tell me which tense is used in the following sentences

The birds are flying in the sky.

1. present simple
2. present continuous
3. present perfect
4. future

We have bought a new house in Vancouver.

1. present simple
2. present perfect
3. past simple
4. past perfect

I hope we will see each other again soon.

1. present simple
2. present perfect
3. future
4. past simple

Did you buy apples yesterday when you were at the store?

1. present simple
2. present perfect
3. past simple
4. past perfect

The builders were constructing a new block of flats.

1. present perfect
2. present continuous
3. past perfect
4. past continuous

Jackie doesn't like ice-cream.

1. present simple
2. past simple
3. present perfect
4. past perfect

The passive voice

• Go back to screen with the meet and I will show you what the passive voice looks like. 

recognising passive voice

In the next few slides you will see a sentence. 

You have to say whether it is active or passive. 

We are walking in the garden.

1. active
2. passive

The teacher was fired.

1. active
2. passive

The boxes have been unloaded from the back of the truck.

1. active
2. passive

Jamie has lived in New York ever since he was 5.

1. active
2. passive

We were asked so many questions last night by our viewers.

1. active
2. passive

We had visited the cinema before we went to the restaurant.

1. active
2. passive

The chef wasn't paying attention when the food in the pan caught fire.

1. active
2. passive

Spanish is spoken by more than 300 million people.

1. active
2. passive

rewriting: from active to passive

You will see a sentence that you have to change from active voice to passive voice.

Let's do 1 together first.

Jenny bought a computer.

What will be the new subject of the passive sentence?

What tense is used in this sentence?

What needs to change about the verb?

Now think of the whole sentence, what will it be in the passive?

KEY

A computer was bought (by Jenny).

The new subject is: a computer

The verb is in past tense. 

We need to use: was verb+ed

Okay, let's practise.

For the following sentences, change it from active to passive.

Remember to use the same tense as in the original !

Picasso created this painting.

KEY

This painting was created by Picasso.

The teacher told us not to touch anything.

KEY

We were told not to touch anything.

The company is shipping my order tomorrow.

KEY

My order is being shipped tomorrow.

The researchers haven't found a vaccine yet.

KEY

A vaccine hasn't been found yet.

Any questions?

If not, do exercise 3 and 4 on page 38