Uses
Reporting verbs
Hove/Get something done
Explanations
■ Transitive and intransitive verbs
Only verbs with an object (transitive verbs) can be made passive They smt the tetar.       The letter was sent They arrived late. (cannot be made passive)
Verbs with bom direct and indirect objects can be made passive in two ways-They sent me the letter.  I was sent the letter. 7 The letter was sent to me S„s,tive verbs cannot be made passive in some uses, For example
' ^ thh *"*   <a Passiw f°"» <* <his sentence U no, posstble) ■ Focus on important information
By placing the object at the beginning of the sentence, the passive can change the focus of interest in a sentence
am * beaten by Arsenal.   (we are mQre lnterested ^ ^.^
The passive ,s used in a variety of confers. Notice how the agent (person wh does the action) is unimportant, unknown or dear froJZTuZn ^personal statements stunts are asked not „ smite.
When the agent is unknown   My bike has been stolen' (Here we could say Someone/They have stolen my bike ) When the agent is obvious      Mr /ones will be arrested How something was done      The box was opened wtth a knife, . The passive Is often used with say, believe, understand, W and similar verbs used to reportmg speech to avoid an impersonal they or peopk People say that John Wilson lives in New York, lohn Wilson is said to live in New York.
Other verb forms can also be reported in this way They say John Wilson is travelling in Africa lohn Wilson is said to be travelling In Africa People say )ohn Wilson has arrived in Australia John Wilson is said to have arrived in Australia.
When someone does some work for us, we can use have something done Last year I had new tiles put on the roof. I'm having my hair cut this afternoon.
Needs doing
Verbs and prepositions
Other problems
GRAMMAR 9 PASSIVES
■ The same construction can describe bad luck caused by an unspecified person.
Peter had his car stolen last week.
And then he had his leg broken playing football.
■ Using get instead of have in the examples in paragraph 1 above would be more informal.
Using get can also suggest managing to do something difficult. It was difficult but we got the painting done in the end.
This is an idiomatic way of expressing a passive sentence where a thing or person needs some kind of action.
The floor is filthy. It needs to be cleaned.
The floor is filthy. It needs cleaning
The preposition stays with the verb in a passive sentence. People shouted at the Prime Minister during his speech. The Prime Minister was shouted at during his speech.
u Be bom is a passive form but does not have an ohvious passive meaning. 1 was born near Kyoto.
m Make (when meaning force) is followed by to in the passive 'They made David work hard. David was made to work hard.
m  Because the agent is unimportant, unknown or obvious, it is often not included. If we want to say who does the action we use by. This letter was delivered this morning. This letter was delivered this morning by courier.
SO
51
FIRST CERTIFICATE LANGUAGE PRACTI
GRAMMAR 9 PASSIVE5
Practice
1    Underline the verb forms which are not possible.
a) My cat has_bemg stolen.
b) Jack was homed on a Thursday
i ™ that aone 01 the guests iud te™smt ■» ■»«*««■
uj Maty s car is being serviced today.
e) Your order will been sent as soon as possible
f) The hole in the road was being repaired when I came home g This sw.mmmg pool „ used by TO a tnou5and
h) When was this church built?
1) An address is writing on the back of the envelope
j) Customers are request to ask for a receipt.
2    Underline the most suitable verb form in each sentence.
a) Their new house hmXb^Jiwhelfrasn't finished yet
b The robbers were crrestem^e been arrested v soon as they left the bank
c   ue told us her baby is born/nad bee„ bnm two weks ^ ™Jg^L
e) By^ the time we got there, the rain k«, stopped bee„ stl>pped_
f) When were you toWhave you been told about the new rules/
h -Hie I        TeDgerS "* ™immin^ ™°» easily to the shore h) The winning horse was ridden/was riding by Pat Murphy.
I)    don t think that yo„ « be aiked/are ^ ^ lo show your
3    Put each verb In brackets into a suitable passive form.
a) I'm sorry, madam, but this carpet (already sell) Jm Mmtiy. faW s,U
b) The old house on the comer (knock down) ,
0 When exactly (Join: ,iv.,; ~last >";a;'
.,  , * ....................................his prize?
d) Most people agree that America (not discover)...................
Christopher Columbus, y
e) All complaints about products (deal with) . customer services department.
0 Police confirmed that the murder weapon (since discover, .......................................in a nearby lake,
g) It (announce) .
dfH , . yesterday that the government has
decided not to raise income tax.
h) Good news! I (ask) . , . ,
n ..„ ,.. ,. .................................to take over as the new manager.
I don , believe that this play (write)................................ Shakespeare
I) Ann really likes (invite) ,   .. Shakespeare.
.................................to dinner parties.
. by our
4    Rewrite each sentence, putting the verb in itrrWcs In the passive where possible. Da you need to mention the agent?
a) I really like this hotel.
jwi.pcssible. .....................................................................
b) Jane won the poetry competition.
.fiMtK. w.w.f&trP.QjJM.yA kyj^y^.-.....................................
c) Peter's new car cost over £20,000.
d) Martin always wear-, casual clothes.
e) One of our visitors lost this cigarette lighter.
f) They haven't decided the exact time of the match yet.
g) Most of the guests had left the hotel by midday.
h) Some parents read to their children every night.
i) This bike belongs to my sisters.
j)  People ate most of the food at the party.
S3
■ ""TlflCATI LANCUACE PRACT.Ct
**«n two and flve JR^^ZS^ *~ *" ">"«
3) £ We -       feting raanage,
Anew . m^hmm..YmmmMu        ■ ^ b) Smith Ltd are supplying our coinpany ^last ]"y.
supplied Our company
«3 William the bySmith The castle ..................
Conqueror in the 1 1th century. William the
d) No decision has yet been made, decided
Nothing .........
e) People beheve tha, someone'murdered Jenldns^ was
It ..........................
0 Your hair needs cutting. murdered, get
Von ought...................
S) rue police were following the suspects. CUt' were
The suspects..............
h) No-one has seen Peter since the d^, t.~**>*■ been Peter ....
A notice ................
board yesterday. UP on (he notice
» *°ple think that an apple a dav is good for yen, to 7
An apple a day..............
.......+............................for you.
GRAMMAR 9 PASSIVES
6 Rewrite each sentence so that it contains a form of have something done. Do not include the agent.
a) A painter painted our house last month.
b) The hairdresser is cutting my hair this afternoon.
c) Someone has stolen my motorbike.
d) The dentist has taken out all of Ricky's teeth.
e) [ haven't been to the car-wash for a long lime.
f) The men are coming to put in the new central heating on Saturday.
g) Someone broke Harry's nose in a fight.
h) Isn't it time someone fixed your television?
7 Rewrite each sentence so that it contains a passive form, and does not contain the words in italics.
a) Apparently, Freddie has a wife in Scotland. X^^k.k.^M,?!?,iSK*„f! wiji in, Scotland.
b) Nobody knows anything about Btenda's family.
c) People think that someone started the fire deliberately.
d) You should ask a doctor to see to that cut.
e) People say that Chris was in the army.
f) My trousers need to be pressed before I leave.
g) No-one has signed this letter.
h) Mary's hair still needs cutting.
FIRST CERTIFICATE LANGUAGE PRACTICE
8    Look carefully at each line. Some of the lines are correct, and some have a word Which should not be there. Tick each correct line. If a line has a word which should not be there, write the word in the space.
Opening of new Gulliver Sports Centre
The Gulliver Sports Centre, which has been / completely rebuilt, was been reopened yesterday Ijffi«i by the Minister of Sport. The building it was originally used to as a market, but was sold
1) .
2) .
to Fairdene Council in 1981, and it then converted 3) into a sports hall. Local schools were piayed football 4) and basketball indoors, and keep-fit classes were held 5) there. In 1990 the hall was damaged when by a flre 6) ."
which was broke out in the heating system. The hall 7) could not be used, and remained empty while discussions 8) ..
continued about its future. It was then and decided that 9)
the hall would to be rebuilt, and an appeal for money i0)
was launched. Two years ago a local businessman offered l ])
to pay for the building work, and plans were drawn up. i2)
The new hall is includes a swimming pool, running track 13)
and other sports facilities which can be used by anyone 14, in the Fairdene area. The Minister was made a speech in which she congratulated everyone involved.
15) .
Key points     1    Not ail verbs can be made passive. You can check tn a dictionary whether the verb is transitive or intransitive.
2 The agent is only included if this information is needed
3 Passive forms are often used to give an impersonal view
4 When we change from passive to active the meaning changes slightly. In particular the focus of interest changes. A passive form may be more suitable in some contexts but unsuitable in others.
5 Passive forms tend to be used more often in writing, especially in scientific and technical language.
SEE ALSO Grammar 10: Con