PASSIVE

   The passive voice expresses what happens to the subject.

   It is formed with to be + past participle

   Infinitive

   active: (to) do/clean/see etc.                            Somebody wil1 clean the room later.

   passive: (to) be done/cleaned/seen etc.             The room will be cleaned later. .

   The situation is serious. Something must be done before iťs too late. .

   A mystery is something that can't be explained.

   The music was very loud and could be heard from a long way away.

   A new supermarket is going to be built next year.

   Please go away. I want to be left alone.

   Perfect infinitive

   active: have done/cleaned/seen etc.                  Somebody should have cleaned the room.

   passive: have been done/cleaned/seen etc..       The room should have been cleaned. .

   I haven't received the letter yet. It might have been sent to the wrong address.

   If you hadn't left the car unlocked, it wouldn't have been stolen.

   There were some problems at first but they seem to have been solved.

   Present perfect

   active: have/has (done)                        The room looks nice. Somebody has cleaned it.

   passive: have/has been (done)  The room looks nice. It has been cleaned.

   Have you heard the news? The President has been shot!

   Have you ever been bitten by a dog?

   Are you going to the party?' 'No, I haven't been invited.'

   

   Past perfect

   active: had (done)                                The room looked nice. Somebody had cleaned
   it.

   passive: had been (done)                     The room looked nice. It had been cleaned.

   The vegetables didn't taste very good. They had been cooked for too long.

   The car was three years old but hadn't been used very much.

   Present continuous

   active: am/is/are {do)ing                      Somebody is cleaning the room at the moment.

   passive: am/is/are being (done)             The room is being cleaned at the moment."

   There's somebody walking behind us. I think we are being followed.

   (in a shop) 'Can I help you, madam?' 'No, thank you. I'm being served.'

   

   Past continuous

   active: was/were(do)ing                       Somebody was cleaning the room when I arrived.

   passive: was/were being (done)            The room was being cleaned when I arrived. .

   There was somebody walking behind us. We were being followed.

   

   Some verbs can have 2 objects, e.g. give:

   We gave the police the information – it is possible to make 2 passive sentences:

   The police were given the information.

   The information was given to the police.

   Other verbs with 2 objects are: ask, offer, pay, show, teach, tell

   

   Passive with –ing forms:

   I don´t like being told what to do.

   He hates being kept waiting.

   We climbed over the wall without being seen.

   

   EXERCISES:

   Change into passive.

   Example: They promoted Tom. …Tom was promoted.

   1.      The situation is serious. We must do something.

   2.      I haven´t received the letter. They might have sent it to the wrong address.

   3.      They will not make the decision until the next meeting.

   4.      I told the hotel reception that I wanted them to wake me up at 6.30.

   5.      Do you think that they should spend less money on armaments?

   6.      The injured man couldn´t walk, they had to carry him.

   7.      And electrical fault might have caused the fire.

   8.      Somebody has cleaned the room.

   9.       Somebody is using the computer at the moment.

   10.  When we got to the stadium we found that they had cancelled the game.

   11.  They are building a new ring road round the city.

   12.  They have built a new hospital near the airport.

   

   Write the sentences in another way, beginning in the way shown:

   Example: They didn´t give me the money ….I wasn´t given the money.

   1.      They asked me some difficult questions at the interview – I…………..

   2.      Janet´s colleagues gave her a present when she retired. – Janet……………

   3.      Nobody told me that George was ill. – I……………….

   4.      How much will they pay you? – How much will……………

   5.      I think they should have offered Tom the job.- I think Tom………………

   6.      Has anybody shown you what to do? – Have you………..?

   

   Complete the sentences using being + one of the verbs:

   ask, attack, give, invite, pay, /keep/.

                        Example: Mr. Miller doesn´t like being kept waiting

   1.      They went to the party without………………………

   2.      Most people like …………………….. presents.

   3.      It´s a dangerous city. People won´t go out after dark because they are afraid of
   ………………..

   4.      I don´t like …………………………..stupid questions.

   5.      Few people are prepared to work without…………………….