passive structures
DESCRIPTION
Estructura de la pasiva en inglesTRANSCRIPT
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ANGLO-PEDIA Anglo-File 112: PASSIVE STRUCTURES
Part 1: Formulation We use passive structures when the action is more important than the actor, or when the actor is unknown.
To formulate a passive sentence: 1. Put the object of the verb at the beginning of your sentence;
2. Conjugate the verb ‘to be’ in the same tense as the active sentence; 3. Add the participle of the verb.
Someone cleans this room every day. This room is cleaned everyday.
They have sent the letter. The letter has been sent.
The mechanic is repairing my car. My car is being repaired.
NOTES:
1. If you want to mention the actor in a passive sentence, use ‘by’:
My car is being repaired by a mechanic.
2. If the active sentence begins with No-one or nobody, the passive sentence will be negative:
No-one cleans this room. This room is not cleaned.
Active Passive Tenses Present Simple I do it. It is done.
Past Simple I did it. It was done. Future Simple I will do it. It will be done.
Present Continuous I am doing it. It is being done. Past Continuous I was doing it. It was being done.
Future Continuous I will be doing it. X (not common) Present Perfect I have done it. It has been done.
Past Perfect I had done it. It had been done.
Future Perfect I will have done it. It will have been done. Present Perfect Continuous I have been doing it. X (not common).
Past Perfect I had been doing it. X (not common) Future Perfect I will have been doing it. X (not common)
‘be going to’ I am going to do it. It is going to be done. Used to I used to do it. It used to be done.
Modals Can I can do it. It can be done.
Could I could do it. It could be done Shall I shall do it. It shall be done.
Should I should do it. It should be done. May I may do it. It may be done.
Might I might do it. It might be done.
Must I must do it. It must be done. have to I have to do it. It has to be done.
Would I would do it. It would be done. Could have I could have done it. It could have been done.
Should have I should have done it. It should have been done. Might have I might have done it. It might have been done.
Must have I must have done it. It must have been done.
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Part 2: Person in object position We can also formulate passive sentences with a person in the object position.
Someone called me. I was called.
They have warned us. We have been warned.
She is interviewing Jim. Jim is being interviewed.
Some sentences may have two objects. You can choose either object to formulate the passive sentence:
Someone gave me a book. I was given a book. A book was given to me.
They sent him a letter. He was sent a letter.
A letter was sent to him.
The company will offer her the job. She will be offered the job. The job was offered to her.
Part 3: Have something done
When you ask another person to do something for you because that is their job, we use the verb ‘have’ in a special structure:
I had the hairdresser cut my hair.
She will have the mechanic repair her car. They have had the decorator repaint their house.
As it is usually unnecessary to mention this other person, we often put this structure into the passive form:
I had my hair cut (by the hairdresser).
She will have her car repaired (by the mechanic). They have had their house repainted (by the decorator).
NOTE:
The object always comes before the participle: I had my hair cut.
She will have her car repaired.
If you put the object after the participle, it reverts to an active sentence: I had cut my hair. = I had cut it myself.
She will have repaired her car. = She will have done it herself.
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ANGLO-PEDIA Anglo-File 112: PASSIVE STRUCTURES
EXERCISES
Part 1: Formulation
Exercise 1 (Tracks 1-31) Change these active sentences into passive.
Example: We employ several nationalities here.
… Several nationalities are employed here. …
1. Someone had locked the door.
........................………………………............…….
2. The two parties have not reached an agreement.
........................………………………............……. 3. They cancelled all the flights yesterday.
........................………………………............…….
4. The authorities are reviewing the legislation.
........................………………………............…….
5. The workmen were repairing the roof.
........................………………………............……. 6. We cannot do it.
........................………………………............…….
7. They are going to postpone the meeting.
........................………………………............……. 8. They should spend the money elsewhere.
........................………………………............…….
9. The person in charge has not yet signed the contracts.
........................………………………............……. 10. When did they send the e-mail?
........................………………………............…….
11. Someone has published a report.
........................………………………............…….
12. Nobody has watered these plants for ages.
........................………………………............…….
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13. No-one must touch those files.
........................………………………............…….
14. How many tickets have they sold today?
........................………………………............……. 15. They may find a better solution.
........................………………………............…….
16. When are they announcing the results?
........................………………………............……. 17. When does the postman deliver your mail?
........................………………………............…….
18. What did people use this for?
........................………………………............……. 19. Someone saw the suspect leaving the house.
........................………………………............…….
20. Can anyone explain this mystery?
........................………………………............…….
21. They could have done it differently.
........................………………………............…….
22. Someone will have to report the incident.
........................………………………............……. 23. No-one is going to deal with this complaint.
........................………………………............…….
24. They must have delivered it to the wrong address.
........................………………………............…….
25. The Government will issue a statement today.
........................………………………............…….
26. They used to collect the rubbish every week.
........................………………………............……. 27. Have they done anything?
........................………………………............…….
28. How often do they clean this?
........................………………………............…….
29. Someone should have done that earlier.
........................………………………............…….
30. People break promises all the time..
........................………………………............…….
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Anglo-File 112: Passive Structures / Answer Key
Part 1: Formulation 1. The door had been locked.
2. An agreement has not been reached.
3. All the flights were cancelled yesterday. 4. The legislation is being reviewed.
5. The roof was being repaired. 6. It cannot be done.
7. The meeting is going to be postponed.
8. The money should be spent elsewhere 9. The contracts have not yet been signed.
10. When was the e-mail sent? 11. A report has been published.
12. These plants haven’t been watered for ages.
13. Those files must not be touched.
14. How many tickets have been sold today?
15. A better solution may be found. 16. When are the results being announced?
17. When is your mail delivered?
18. What was this used for? 19. The suspect was seen leaving the house.
20. Can this mystery be explained? 21. It could have been done differently.
22. The incident will have to be reported.
23. This complaint is not going to be dealt with. 24. It must have been delivered to the wrong address.
25. A statement will be issued today. 26. The rubbish used to be collected every week.
27. Has anything been done?
28. How often is this cleaned? 29. That should have been done earlier.
30. Promises are broken all the time.
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ANGLO-PEDIA Anglo-File 112: PASSIVE STRUCTURES
EXERCISES
Part 2: Person in object position
Exercise 1 (Tracks 32-58)
Change these active sentences into passive, using the person(s) in object position.
Example: The firm offered the employees a raise.
…The employees were offered a raise. …
1. Someone has advised Sue not to buy this.
........................………………………............……. 2. Someone should have informed the police.
........................………………………............……. 3. A friend has invited them to a party.
........................………………………............……. 4. Have People told him what to expect?
........................………………………............……. 5. They had charged us too much.
........................………………………............……. 6. No-one had warned the teachers.
........................………………………............……. 7. The police have arrested the suspects.
........................………………………............……. 8. We will send you a confirmation shortly.
........................………………………............……. 9. She asked Helen to wait outside.
........................………………………............……. 10. People saw the band in London.
........................………………………............……. 11. No-one must delay us.
........................………………………............…….
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12. They hired John last year.
........................………………………............……. 13. When is the company going to tell the staff?
........................………………………............……. 14. They may offer her a promotion.
........................………………………............……. 15. Has anyone shown Tim the report?
........................………………………............……. 16. How much will they pay the consultant?
........................………………………............……. 17. They should give him another chance.
........................………………………............……. 18. My friends pushed me into the pool.
........................………………………............……. 19. No-one must tell James anything.
........................………………………............……. 20. Where will the bus pick up the children?
........................………………………............……. 21. The police is following them.
........................………………………............……. 22. The teacher told the pupils to sit down .
........................………………………............……. 23. My parents brought me up in this town.
........................………………………............……. 24. We should train the management in new skills.
........................………………………............……. 25. Can we trust our politicians?
........................………………………............…….
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Anglo-File 112: Passive Structures / Answer Key Part 2: Person in object position
1. Sue has been advised not to sell her house. 2. The police should have been informed.
3. They have been invited to a party. 4. Has he been told what to expect?
5. We were charged too much.
6. The teachers had not been warned. 7. The suspects have been arrested.
8. You will be sent a confirmation shortly. 9. Helen was asked to wait outside.
10. The couple were seen in London.
11. We must not be delayed. 12. John was hired last year.
13. When are the staff going to be told? 14. She may be offered a promotion.
15. Has Tim been shown the report?
16. How much will the consultant be paid? 17. He should be given another chance.
18. I was congratulated on my success. 19. James must not be told anything.
20. Where will the children be picked up?
21. They are being watched. 22. The pupils were told to sit down.
23. I was brought up in this town. 24. The management should be trained in new skills.
25. Can our politicians be trusted ?
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ANGLO-PEDIA Anglo-File 112: PASSIVE STRUCTURES
EXERCISES Part 3: Have something done
Exercise 1 (Tracks 59-69) Change these active sentences into passive form.
Example:
We’re going to have a builder build a garage. …We’re going to have a garage built . …
1. She will have the shop clean her coat.
........................………………………............……. 2. We have a gardener cut the grass regularly.
........................………………………............…….
3. They have had a builder build an extension.
........................………………………............……. 4. We are going to have a photographer take our photos.
........................………………………............…….
5. I didn’t have the garage service my car last month.
........................………………………............…….
6. Can we have someone deliver the pizzas?
........................………………………............……. 7. When did you have the hairdresser cut your hair?.
........................………………………............…….
8. You should have the shop repair your camera.
........................………………………............……. 9. We must have someone paint our kitchen.
........................………………………............…….
10. They have just had someone install their new software.
........................………………………............…….
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Anglo-File 112: Passive Structures / Answer Key
Part 3: Have something done
1. She will have her coat cleaned.
2. We have our grass cut regularly.
3. They have had an extension built. 4. We are going to have our photos taken.
5. I didn’t have my car serviced last month. 6. Can we have the pizzas delivered?
7. When did you have your hair cut?
8. You should have your camera repaired. 9. We must have our kitchen painted.
10. They have just had this software installed.
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