B2.1 - Passive Voice

B2.1 - Passive Voice

By Uxía Martínez

Poll

Are you ready?

• Yes! Bring it!

• Meh...

• Definitely not.

The Passive Voice

• ​In active sentences, the subject "does" the action and the object "receives" it, or the result of it. Example: Mary eats apples.

• However, in passive sentences, the emphasis is on the action, or the person or thing receiving the action.​ Example: Apples are eaten by Mary.

​STRUCTURE

TO BE + Past Participle

(Appropriate form) (of the main verb in the active sentence)​

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The Passive Voice

​WHEN IS IT USED?

• ​The passive is used when the agent is obvious, unknown, or unimportant.

  Example: ​My purse was stolen yesterday! (It is obvious that thieves stole it, and I probably don't know who they are.)

• It is also useful when describing a process where the result of the action is important.​

  Example: The Guernica was painted by Picasso in 1937.

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The Passive Voice

IMPORTANT!

• Verbs that have two objects can make two passive sentences.

  Examples:

  ​The company has offered the job to my sister. (ACTIVE)

  My sister has been offered the job. (PASSIVE 1)

  The job has been offered to my sister.​ (PASSIVE 2)

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The Passive Voice

Further examples​

ACTIVE: The Han Dynasty invented the compass more than 2000 years ago.

PASSIVE: The compass was invented by the Han Dynasty more than 2000 years ago.​

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ACTIVE: The Wright brothers invented and flew the first airplane in 1903.

PASSIVE: The first airplane was invented and flown by the Wright brothers in 1903.

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Multiple Select

ACTIVE: Farmers grow olives in many regions of Spain:

PASSIVE: Olives...

(HINT: two are correct!)

• are grown in many regions of Spain.

• were grown in many regions of Spain.

• are grown by farmers in many regions of Spain.

• grow in many regions of Spain.

Fill in the Blanks

Multiple Choice

ACTIVE: Many countries around the world speak Spanish.

PASSIVE: Spanish...

• is spoken in many countries around the world.

• speak in many countries around the world.

• spoken in many countries around the world.

• is speaked in many countries around the world.

Fill in the Blanks

Multiple Choice

ACTIVE: Ancient Egyptians built The Pyramids of Giza.

PASSIVE: The Pyramids of Giza...

• were built by ancient Egyptians.

• are built by ancient Egyptians.

• by ancient Egyptians were built.

• were builded by ancient Egyptians.

Fill in the Blanks

Multiple Choice

ACTIVE: Nowadays, Korea makes many computers.

PASSIVE: Nowadays, many computers...

• are made in Korea.

• is made in Korea.

• were made in Korea.

• are maken in Korea.

Fill in the Blanks

Multiple Choice

ACTIVE: People discovered gold in California in 1848.

PASSIVE?

• Gold was discovered in California in 1848.

• Gold is discovered in California in 1848.

• Gold were discovered in California in 1848.

• potato

Fill in the Blanks

is/are written

is/are being written​

have/has been written

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was/were written​

was/were being written​

had been written​

Passive

Present Simple: write

Present Cont: is/are writing

​Present Perf: have/has written

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Past Simple: wrote​

Past Cont: was/were writing

Past Perfect: had written​

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Active

The Passive Voice

am/is/are going to be written​

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will be written​​

would be written​

can be written

should be written

must be written​

Passive

Be going to: am/is/are going to write

Future with WILL: will write​​

Conditional: would write​​

Modal verbs: can write

should write

must write​

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Active

The Passive Voice

Multiple Select

PUT THIS SENTENCE IN THE PASSIVE VOICE:

ACTIVE: The Academy has given Joaquin Phoenix an Oscar.

PASSIVE?

• The Academy has been given an Oscar by J.P.

• J.P. has being given an Oscar by the Academy.

• J.P. has been given an Oscar by the Academy.

• An Oscar has been given to J.P. by the Academy

Fill in the Blanks

Multiple Choice

PUT THIS SENTECE IN THE PASSIVE VOICE:

ACTIVE: Batman is going to make millions in theatres.

PASSIVE?

• Millions are made by Batman on theatres.

• Millions are going to make by Batman on theatres.

• Millions are going to be made by Batman on theatres.

• Potato

Fill in the Blanks

Multiple Choice

PUT THIS SENTENCE IN THE PASSIVE VOICE:

ACTIVE: I think online platforms will replace cinemas in the future.

PASSIVE?

• I think online platforms will be replaced by Netflix in the future.

• I think online platforms will be replaced by online platforms in the future.

• I think cinemas will be replaced by online platforms in the future.

• Netflix!

Fill in the Blanks

Multiple Choice

ACTIVE: Tom Holland and Zendaya are promoting Spiderman.

PASSIVE: Spiderman...

• is promoted by T.H. and Zendaya.

• is been promoted by T.H. and Zendaya.

• is being promoted by T.H. and Zendaya.

• promotes by T.H. and Zendaya.

Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the Blanks

Open Ended

I need more time to understand...

Open Ended

I have learned how to...