THE PASSIVE

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What is the main interest of the text? Dr. John Pemberton? Asa Griggs Candler? Coca-Cola?

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Is it sold in 200 countries?

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Do we know who sells Coca-Cola?

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Is it important who sells it?

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It is sold in over 200 countries. the action is more important than who does it!

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The passive is formed with the auxiliary verb to be + the past participle Underline all passive forms in the text!

1.) action? = English

2.) to be + past participle of the main verb tense ‘to be’= tense active sentence

= is + spoken 3.) (BY + agent)

usually left out! only added when important

Active That thief always enters these houses at night.

Passive These houses are always entered at night. Simple present of to be + past participle

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Active

He’s always stealing my things.

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Passive

My things are always being stolen.

Pres. Cont. of to be + Past participle

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Active

They have just closed that prison.

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Passive

That prison has just been closed. Pres. perfect of to be + past participle

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Active

The judge sentenced the murderer to death.

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Passive

The murderer was sentenced to death.

Simple past of to be + past participle

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Active

When I got home they were stealing my TV.

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Passive

When I got home my TV was being stolen.

Past cont. of to be + past participle

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Active

He was sentenced to fifteen years in jail. He had raped an innocent girl.

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Passive

An innocent girl had been raped.

Past perfect of to be + past participle

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Active

The judge will announce his verdict this afternoon.

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Passive

The verdict will be announced this afternoon. Simple future of to be + past participle

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Active

People might see The Rolling Stones in London.

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Passive

The Rolling Stones might be seen in London. Modal + be + past part.

People play football all over the world. Football is played all over the world. They bring the workers by bus. The workers are brought by bus. They make bikes in this factory. Bikes are made in this factory. People drink a lot of wine in France. A lot of wine is drunk in France. They serve a good A good meal is served in this restaurant. People speak German in Germany. German is spoken in Germany. They always clean the windows on Saturday. The windows are always cleaned on Saturdays They don’t speak French in England. French is not spoken in England. They don’t sell wine here. Wine isn’t sold here.

We use this room on special occasions This room is used on special occasions They use computers to do difficult calculations Computers are used to do... They are pulling down the old theatre. The old theatre is being pulled down. Students are doing a lot of work these days. A lot of work is being done these days by students. They are flying in new troops. New troops are being flown in. They are building a new town hall. A new town hall is being built. Somebody is following us. We are being followed. Somebody is painting the doors. The doors are being painted. They are showing good films in town. Good films are being shown in town.

They are repairing my piano at the moment. My piano is being repaired ate the moment. Someone turned on the radio. The radio was turned on. The watchman called the police. The police were (!) called by the watchman. The police arrested the thief. The thief was arrested by the police. They drank a lot of wine and ate a lot of cake. A lot of wine and cake was drunk and eaten. They left nothing. Nothing was left. Somebody showed him the room. The room was shown to him. She didn’t introduce me to her mother. Her mother wasn’t introduced to me. They didn’t pay me for the work. I wasn’t paid for the work.

They didn’t look after the children properly. The children weren’t properly looked after. Fog held up the trains. The trains were held up by fog. They took down the notice The notice was taken down. They threw him out. He was thrown out. The crowd shouted him down. He was shouted down. They searched the house and found a lot of jewels. The house was searched and jewels were found. We have warned you. You have been warned. Nobody has used this room for ages. This room hasn’t been used for ages.

They haven’t written the letters. The letters haven’t been written. Somebody has broken my spectacles. My spectacles have been broken. Someone has stolen my pen. My pen has been stolen. No one has taken out the cork. The cork hasn’t been taken out. They will open the shop tomorrow. The shop will be opened tomorrow. They will show him how to do it. He will be shown how to do it. They won’t teach him Chinese. He will not be taught Chinese. They won’t hand in their weapons. Their weapons won’t be handed in. They will give you coffee and biscuits. You will be given coffee and biscuits.

We can’t repair your clock. Your clock can’t be repaired. We have to pick the fruit very early in the morning. The fruit has to be picked very early in the morning You need not type this letter. This letter needn’t be typed. You should leave these documents on the desk. These documents should be left on the desk. A machine could do this work more easily. This work could be done more easily. You must keep dogs on leads in the park. Dogs must be kept on leads in the park. Has someone posted my parcel? Has my parcel been posted? Do dogs guard the warehouse? Is the warehouse guarded by dogs? Do they serve meals from 12 to 2? Are meals served from 12 to 2?

Did they throw away the rubbish? Was the rubbish thrown away? Did an earthquake destroy the town? Was the town destroyed by an earthquake? Will they catch the thieves? Will the thieves be caught? Didn’t they tell you to be here by 5 o’clock? Weren’t you told to be here by 5? Was somebody painting the doors? Were the doors being painted? Were they building a new bridge? Was a new bridge being built? Are they doing it properly? Is it being done properly? How many times will they read the text? How many times will the text be read?

When are they going to play the match? When is the match going to be played? Where must they write the title? Where must the title be written? Who is meeting him at the station tomorrow? Is he being met at the station tomorrow?