Passive (1) (is done / was done) Study this example: This house was built in 1930. 'Was built' is passive. Compare active and passive: in 1930. (active) Somebody built subject this house object This house subject was built in 1930. (passive) We use an active verb to say what the subject does: • My grandfather was a builder. He built this house in 1930. • It's a big company. It employs two hundred people. We use a passive verb to say what happens to the subject: • This house is quite old. It was built in 1930. • Two hundred people are employed by the company. When we use the passive, who or what causes the action is often unknown or unimportant: • A lot of money was stolen in the robbery, (somebody stole it but we don't know who) • Is this room cleaned every day? (does somebody clean it? - it's not important who) If we want to say who does or what causes the action, we use by...: • This house was built by my grandfather. • Two hundred people are employed by the company. The passive is be (is/was/have been etc.) + the past participle (done/cleaned/seen etc.): (be) done (be) cleaned (be) seen (be) damaged (be) built etc. For irregular past participles (done/known/seen etc.), see Appendix 1. Study the active and passive forms of the present simple and past simple: Present simple active: clean(s)/see(s) etc. passive: am/is/are cleaned/seen etc. • Many accidents are caused by careless driving. • I'm not often invited to parties. • How is this word pronounced? Somebody cleans this room every day This room is cleaned every day. Past simple active: cleaned/saw etc. passive: was/were cleaned/seen etc. Somebody cleaned this room yesterday This room was cleaned yesterday. • We were woken up by a loud noise during the night. • 'Did you go to the party?' 'No, I wasn't invited.' • How much money was stolen? Passive (other forms) -► IHlUďtcflkl By - IHIIHWd UNIT EXERCISES m. 41.1 Complete the sentences using one of these verbs in the correct form: cause damage hold include invite make overtake show translate write 1 Many accidents ...are caused, by dangerous driving. 2 Cheese...................................................from milk. 3 The roof of the building...................................................in a storm a few days ago. 4 There's no need to leave a tip. Service...................................................in the bill. 5 You...................................................to the wedding. Why didn't you go? 6 A cinema is a place where films................................................... 7 In the United States, elections for President...................................................every four years. 8 Originally the book...................................................in Spanish and a few years ago it ...................................................into English. 9 We were driving along quite fast but we...................................................by lots of other cars. 41.2 Write questions using the passive. Some are present and some are past. 1 Ask about the telephone, (when/invent?) ..WMß» m.s.the telephone imented?^ 2 Ask about glass, (how/make?) How.................................................................................................... 3 Ask about Australia, (when/discover?) ............................................................................................... 4 Ask about silver, (what/use for?) .......................................................................................................... 5 Ask about television, (when/invent?) .................................................................................................. 41.3 Put the verb into the correct form, present simple or past simple, active or passive. 1 It's a big factory. Five hundred people ...are employed... (employ) there. 2 Water................-...................................(cover) most of the Earth's surface. 3 Most of the Earth's surface...................................................(cover) by water. 4 The park gates...................................................(lock) at 6.30 p.m. every evening. 5 The letter.....................................(post) a week ago and it.....................................(arrive) yesterday. 6 The boat...................................................(sink) quickly but fortunately everybody ...................................................(rescue). 7 Ron's parents...................................................(die) when he was very young. He and his sister ...................................................(bring) up by their grandparents. 8 I was born in London but I..................................................(grow) up in the north of England. 9 While I was on holiday, my camera................................................(steal) from my hotel room. 10 While I was on holiday, my camera............................................(disappear) from my hotel room. 11 Why...................................................(Sue/resign) from her job? Didn't she enjoy it? 12 Why...................................................(Bill/sack) from his job? What did he do wrong? 13 The company is not independent. It..........................................(own) by a much larger company. 14 I saw an accident last night. Somebody...................................................(call) an ambulance but nobody.............................................(injure) so the ambulance............................................(not/need). 15 Where...................................................(these photographs/take)? In London? ...................................................(you/take) them? 41.4 Rewrite these sentences. Instead of using 'somebody/they/people' etc. write a passive sentence. 1 Somebody cleans the room every day. ..J.hßIQPm_iec\eaM^.Mefy.da^. 2 They cancelled all flights because of fog. All......................................................................................... 3 People don't use this road very often....................................................................................................... 4 Somebody accused me of stealing money. I........................................................................................... 5 How do people learn languages? How.................................................................................................... 6 People advised us not to go out alone..................................................................................................... 83