Passive and Active Voices Unit Smart Servants. Grammar File. Part 1

When it is more important to draw our attention to the person or thing acted upon than who or what is performing the action = To make the object of the active verb more important When do we use it? Penicillin Active voice: Alexander Flemingdiscoveredpenicillin Passive voice: was discovered in 1928 Alexander Fleming in 1928 by

Wh en it is more important to draw our attention to the person or thing acted upon than who or what is performing the action = To make the object of the active verb more important When do we use it? The victim Active voice: A personattackedthe victim Passive voice: was attacked in the middle of the street in the morning. a person in the middle of the street in the morning. by

When the agent is unknown in Catalan/ French/ Spanish … we use a special passive construction called … When do we use it? En aquesta botiga els venedors parlen rus. We speak English = Es parla rus. Englishis spokenby us La passiva reflexa

The passive sentence ACTIVE VOICE Active Subject Active Verb Direct Object Shakespearewrote many sonnets by Passive Verb Passive Subject Agent PASSIVE VOICE were (= van ser) written (=escrits) by

SubjectSubject: Person or object that suffered/enjoyed the results of an action. to beThe verb "to be" in the tense the action occurred. Past ParticipleThe Past Participle of the verb that represents the action itself. complementsWhatever complements that verb needs. byagentIn a few special cases we can also use by + the agent. Structure of the sentence WAS DISCOVERED

BE to BE gives us the tense of the action Past Participle the principal verb is always in Past Participle THE PASSIVE VERB to BE (in the active tense) + Past Participle (main verb) ACTIVEPASSIVE She wants an ice-creamAn ice-cream is wanted He sent a letterA letter was sent We will buy a new car next weekA new car will be bought They have cut the grassThe grass has been cut

Structure of the verb TENSESEXAMPLES Present SimplePigs are often used to find truffles Present ContinuousMy house is being redecorated at the moment Present PerfectI have never been given flowers on my birthday Past SimpleThis picture was painted by Picasso Past ContinuousWhen I saw him he was being followed by the police Past PerfectShe was angry because she had already been told three times Future SimpleWhen you get there everything will be finished Going to - FutureThey are not going to be easily convinced Conditional SimpleYou would be punished if they found out Conditional PerfectIf you hadn’t told them would I have been invited?

Part 2:

The passive sentence ACTIVE VOICE Active Subject Active Verb Direct Object Indirect Object The cinema academy gavea prizeManelto by Direct Object Passive Verb Passive Subject Agent PASSIVE VOICE was givenby

Verbs like: Believe, Think, Consider, Say, Report, Know, Expect, Feel, Understand, Find More passive stuff Subject + verb passive + subordinate active verb in INFINITIVE. People think that Hèctor lives in Canillo = Active is thought Hèctor lives in Canillo. It is thought that Hèctor lives in Canillo. Hèctor is thought to live in Canillo. = anticipatory “it” sentence To live in Andorra is beautiful is beautiful to live in Andorra. It = To live in Andorra It

Xavier is said to have started the fire. People say that Xavier started the fire = Active + action in the past = anticipatory “it” is said he started the fire It is said that he started the fire (action in the Past) (action in the Past) People know that Gemma is a good skier. = Gemma _______________________ to be a good skier. People think that Aldara is a good martial-art fighter. = ____________________ Aldara is a good martial-art fighter. = anticipatory “it”

this house 1/They built this house in 1466 This house was built 2/ This house was built in 1466 French & English 1/ Channel islanders speak French & English French & English is spoken 2/ French & English is spoken by Channel islanders your life 1/ This book will change your life Your life will be changed 2/ Your life will be changed by this book Examples

the grass 1/ They have cut the grass The grass has been cut 2/ The grass has been cut me 1/ My mother is going to give me a present I am going to be given 2/ I am going to be given a present by my mother to him 1/ Susan wrote an to him was written 1/ He was written an by Susan Examples

your question 1/ They can’t answer your question Your question can’t be answered 2/ Your question can’t be answered her 1/ Someone had to take her to hospital after this had to be taken 2/ She had to be taken to hospital after the crash the children 1/ They shouldn’t allow the children to do these things The children shouldn’t be allowed 2/ The children shouldn’t be allowed to do these things 1/ Someone must tell him if we want him to know 2/ He must be told 2/ He must be told if we want him to know More examples

GETBEGET is used instead of BE with passive meaning. Informal English. I got stuck in a traffic jam She is getting married NEEDWANTAfter NEED/WANT the -ing form can be used with passive meaning This job needs doing That room wants cleaning More passive stuff

somethingHAVE/ GET something done: Arranging for or paying for somebody to do something for you. (Get is more informal). his hair He had his hair cut her carpet She got her carpet cleaned our car We have had our car mended their book They had got their book translated More passive stuff HAVE + Object + Past Participle