1. The Passive
Dragana Filipović

2. The World Keeps Informed With Reader’s Digest (an advert)
Reader’s Digest was founded in 1922.
Today it is read by people in every country in the world.
Shouldn’t you be one of them? Subscribe today.
Which information can you get from the advert?
The name of the founder
The number of years the magazine has existed
The price of the magazine

3. The Passive Check:True or false?
The object of an active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence.
Passive statements always have a form of the verb be.
Passive statements always have an object.

4. The object of an active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence. True
Passive statements always have a form of the verb be. True
Passive statements always have an object. False

5. Active
Passive
Object   
   Subject
Millions of people buy it.
It is bought by millions of people.
Someone published it in 1922.
It was published in 1922.

6. Passive Statements Subject Be (not) Past Participle (by + Object) It
is (not)
bought
by millions of people.
was (not)
published
in 1922.

7. Yes / No Questions
Be Subject Past
Participle
Is it sold in China?
Was
Short Answers
Yes, it is. No, it isn’t.
was. wasn’t.

8. Wh- Questions Wh- Word Be Subject Past Participle Where is it sold ?
When was it published ?

9. Complete this sentence with the passive form of the verb print.
How many copies of Reader’s Digest _____ last year?
 were printed

10. The Passive
Active and passive sentences usually have the same meaning but the focus is different.
Active:
Millions of people read the magazine.
Passive:
The magazine is read by millions of people.

11. The Passive Form the passive with the correct form (tense) of
be + past participle.
It is written in nineteen languages.
It was published in 1922.
These copies have just been printed.

12. Use the passive when:
the agent (the person or thing doing the action) is unknown or not important.
The magazine was founded in (I don’t know who founded it.)

13. Use the passive when:
the identity of the agent is clear from the context.
The magazine is sold in newsagents (We can assume that the people who work in the newsagent’s sell it. We don’t need to mention them.)

14. Use the passive when: you want to avoid mentioning the agent.
Some mistakes were made in that article (I know who made the mistakes but I don’t want to blame the person who made them.)

15. Use the passive with by if you mention the agent.
The article was written by a psychologist.

16. Mention the agent when:
You introduce necessary new information about the agent.
John Dent is a famous sports writer. He has just been hired by Sports Weekly to write a monthly column.
(The name of John’s employer is necessary new information.)

17. Mention the agent when:
You want to give credit to someone who created something.
The article was written by John Dent.
The agent is surprising or interesting.
Our windows are washed by a robot.

18. Be careful!
In most cases, you do not need to mention an agent in passive sentences.
Do not include an agent unnecessarily.
The magazine is published once a week.
NOT: The magazine is published by the publisher once a week.

19. Are these sentences ACTIVE or PASSIVE?
Reader’s Digest was founded in 1922.
Millions of people read it.
A large-type edition is also printed.
They also record it.
Reader’s Digest is published once a month.

20. Are these sentences ACTIVE or PASSIVE?
It has been translated in many languages.
Many readers subscribe to the magazine.
It is sold in newsagents throughout the country.
I read an interesting article in it last month.
This article was written by a famous scientist.

21. Use the passive form of the verbs in the first set of brackets to complete the following report. Include the agent (from the second set of brackets) only if absolutely necessary.

22. Did you know…?
Modern Reader was founded by A.J. Thompson ten years ago. (found) (A.J. Thompson)
At first it _______ only in English. (print) (the printer)
Today it _______ in three foreign-language editions. (publish) (the publisher)
It _____ in more than ten countries. (read) (readers)

23. Since 2000, twenty new employees ______
Since 2000, twenty new employees ______ . (hire) (our international offices)
Back at home, ten new computers ____ last month. (purchase) (the company)
They ____ to write our award-winning articles. (use) (our writers)
Modern Reader _______ all over the world. (advertise) (advertisers)

24. Our editorial staff ________ last month. (interview) (Live at Ten TV)
The interview __________. (see) (millions of viewers)

25. Correct Sentences Did you know…?
At first it was printed only in English. (print) (the printer)
Today it is published in three foreign-language editions. (publish) (the publisher)
It is read in more than ten countries. (read) (readers)

26. Since 2000, twenty new employees have been hired by our international offices . (hire) (our international offices)
Back at home, ten new computers were purchased last month. (purchase) (the company)
They are used to write our award-winning articles. (use) (our writers)
Modern Reader is advertised all over the world. (advertise) (advertisers)

27. Our editorial staff were interviewed by Live at Ten TV last month
Our editorial staff were interviewed by Live at Ten TV last month. (interview) (Live at Ten TV)
The interview was seen by millions of viewers. (see) (millions of viewers)

28. Object (Active)  Subject (Passive)
ACTIVE PASSIVE
Object (Active)  Subject (Passive)
be + past participle

29. Turn the sentence into the PASSIVE
Present Simple:
am / are / is + past participle
ACTIVE: They discuss important subjects every lunch time.
PASSIVE:
Important subjects are discussed every lunch time.

30. Turn the sentence into the PASSIVE
Present Continuous
am / are / is being + past participle
ACTIVE: They are still considering this matter.
PASSIVE:
This matter is still being considered.

31. Turn the sentence into the PASSIVE
Past Simple
was / were + past participle
ACTIVE: They announced the date for the talks.
PASSIVE:
The date for the talks was announced.

32. Turn the sentence into the PASSIVE
Past Continuous
was / were being + past participle
ACTIVE: They were making every effort to end the strike.
PASSIVE:
Every effort was being made to end the strike.

33. Turn the sentence into the PASSIVE
Present Perfect
has / have been + past participle
ACTIVE: They have built a new stadium in London.
PASSIVE:
A new stadium has been built in London.

34. Turn the sentence into the PASSIVE
Past Perfect
had been + past participle
ACTIVE: They had finished the work by the end of 1998.
PASSIVE:
The work had been finished by the end of 1998.

35. Turn the sentence into the PASSIVE
Future Simple
will be + past participle
ACTIVE: A top consultant will examine you.
PASSIVE:
You will be examined by a top consultant.

36. Turn the sentence into the PASSIVE
Future Perfect
will have been + past participle
ACTIVE: In the next ten years, women will have achieved full equality.
PASSIVE:
In the next ten years, full equality will have been achieved.

37. Turn the sentence into the PASSIVE
be going to (future)
am / are / is going to be + past participle
ACTIVE: They are going to close the factory.
PASSIVE:
The factory is going to be closed.

38. The Passive
… to be continued 