PASSIVE

PASSIVE

2021 - 2022

PASSIVE

https://learnenglish.britishcouncil.org/grammar/intermediate-to-upper-intermediate/passives

Do you know how to use the passive voice to change the focus of a sentence?

Look at these examples to see how the passive voice is used.

• A lot of olive oil is produced in Italy.

• This book was written by Angela Davis.

• The suspect will be released tomorrow.

• This product has not been tested on animals

Multiple Choice

The Egyptian pyramids ___ thousands of years ago.

• are built

• been built

• were built

Multiple Choice

Your letter ___ within 28 days.

• will be answer

• will be answered

• will answer

Multiple Choice

Chocolate ___ for over 4,000 years.

• has been produce

• is been produced

• has been produced

Multiple Choice

I don't know who ___ my bike.

• stole

• is stolen

• was stolen

GRAMMAR EXPLANATION

• We use the passive voice to change the focus of the sentence.

  
  

  My bike was stolen. (passive – focus on my bike)

  Someone stole my bike. (active – focus on someone)

We often use the passive:

• when we prefer not to mention who or what does the action (for example, it's not known, it's obvious or we don't want to say) so that we can start a sentence with the most important or most logical information in more formal or scientific writing.

HOW WE MAKE THE PASSIVE

We make the passive using the verb be + past participle.

We start the sentence with the object.

AVATAR was directed by James Cameron

AVATAR (object) + WAS (be) + DIRECTED (past participle) + by (agent)

It is not always necessary to add who or what did the action.

• My flight is cancelled

Only the form of be changes to make the tense.

The past participle stays the same.

Here are examples of the passive in its most common tenses.

Do this exercise to test your grammar again.

Choose the correct option to complete the sentence.

Multiple Choice

All our lamps ___ from original 1950s designs.

• produce

• is produced

• are produced

Multiple Choice

Mistakes ___, but we're working on a solution now.

• have been make

• are been made

• have been made

Multiple Choice

Someone ___ my wallet and left it at reception.

• had found

• had been found

• was found

Multiple Choice

My phone ___ last week, so I didn't get your message until today.

• was being fixed

• was been fix

• was fixing

Multiple Choice

A lot of time ___ on pointless meetings in this company.

• wastes

• is wasted

• is waste

Multiple Choice

Your application ___ by the end of the month.

• will be review

• will be reviewed

• will review

Multiple Choice

Someone ___ my talk at the conference and recommended me as a speaker.

• saw

• was seen

• had been seen

Multiple Choice

The suspect ___ near the French border.

• was caught

• were caught

• caught