When writing flow charts and processes, we often use the passive voice instead of the active. However, the conditionals can also be used to describe flow charts.

How to Construct the Passive

Grammar: How to use the active and passive verb forms.

Active form:

Subject Verb Object

Ali Kicks the ball

Who kicks? Ali kicks the ball. So, “Ali” is the subject.

What does Ali do? Ali kicks the ball. So, the verb is “kicks”.

What does Ali kick? Ali kicks the ball. So, “the ball” is the object.

Passive form:

The passive changes the order of words.

The object becomes the subject in the sentence.

Subject Verb Object

The ball is kicked by Ali

To change the verb form to the passive you must use

'be' + 'past participle'

Example:

Ahlan magazine is read by many people.

The Al Ain mall was built about 5 years ago.

The UAE university was established in the early 1970s.

Taken from the L3 Handbook – p.73

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Name ___________________________________ Number ____________________ Section _________

The Passive Voice: Practice Activities

Look at the sentences, underline the verb(s), and decide if they are ACTIVE or PASSIVE (the first one is done for you).

1. Reader's Digest was begun in 1922. Passive

2. Millions of people read it. Active

3. A large-type edition is also printed. Passive

4. They also record it onto CD and cassette. Active

5. Reader's Digest is published once a month. Passive

6. It has been translated into many languages. Active

7. Many readers subscribe to the magazine. Active

8. It is sold at newsstands everywhere. Passive

9. I read an interesting article in it about alternative medicine. Active

10. The article was written by a famous scientist. Passive

Rewrite the sentence given below.

Change the sentences from active to passive.

e.g. Ali hit the ball. >> The ball was hit by Ali.

(If the object is a person, or a group of people then use 'by' ).

1. Muslims read The Holy Quran.

The Holy Quran is read by Muslims.

2. many people use satellites for communication.

Satellites are used by people for communication.

3. A lot of people use the internet at home.

The Internet is used by many people at home.

4. Millions of people speak Spanish all around the world.

Spanish is spoken by millions of people.

5. Many people in The Middle East speak Arabic.

Arabic is spoken by millions of people in the Middle East.

Taken from the L3 Handbook – p. 73

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Using the passive voice to write about flowchart

Underline the passive verbs in the following sentences. The first one has been done for you.

1. The trees are felled or cut down.

2. The branches and leaves are removed.

3. The trees are transported to the sawmill.

4. The bark is stripped from the trunks.

5. The trunks are sawn into logs.

6. They are taken to the paper mill.

7. They are cut into small pieces.

8. They are mixed with water and acid.

9. They are heated and crushed to a heavy pulp.

10. The wood pulp is cleaned and chemically bleached to whiten it.

11. It is passed through rollers to flatten it and sheets of paper are produced.

12. The water is removed from the sheets and these sheets are pressed, dried and refined until paper is produced.

Now match the sentences with the pictures

Taken from the L3 Handbook – p. 73

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H2O

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11 10

9

8

7

6 5

43

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Model answer

The above process shows how paper is made. We can see from the number of steps that making paper is quite a lengthy and complex process. In this report, I will describe all the steps necessary for making paper.

Firstly, trees are felled and then the branches and leaves are removed. Following this, the trees are then transported to a sawmill. At the sawmill, the bark is stripped from the trunks and they are then taken to a paper mill. At the paper mill, the trunks are cut into small pieces after which the pieces are mixed with water and acid. After this, the mixture is heated and then crushed to a pulp. Then the pulp is cleaned and bleached. The next step is to pass the bleached pulp through rollers which flatten it into sheets of paper. Finally, the water is removed and the sheets are pressed and dried until we have the finished product which is paper.

Word count = 159

4

How to make Bread

The following pictures show the process for making bread. Look at each picture and try to understand what is happening. Below each picture are some key words to help you.

Rearrange the following pictures to put them in the correct order.

1. E 2. C 3. D

4. H 5. I 6. A

7. G 8. B 9 F

5

weigh the ingredients

Magic YeastE

mix the ingredients

C

bake in oven

G

knead doughD

eat and enjoy

F

Iplace in tins

Hroll into shape

Btap to check if

ready

Aallow to rise

Write a report that describes the process of bread making – use the passive and active.

Answer:

The above pictures show the steps that are needed to making bread. We often don’t think about the steps that are taken to produce bread and the process of making it can be quite difficult. In this report, I shall explain how to make bread.

Firstly, you must get all the ingredients you need and weigh them using a scale. Next, the ingredients are mixed together in a mixing bowl. When they are thoroughly mixed, the dough is kneaded until it has an elastic feel to it. When you have finished kneading the dough, it is ready to be rolled into the shape you want for your bread. Then, it is placed in a baking tin. After the dough has risen in the tin, it is put into the oven for baking. You can test if the bread is fully baked by tapping on it. If the bread sounds hollow, it is ready. Finally, relax and enjoy your freshly baked bread.

Word count 161

6

weigh the ingredients

Magic YeastE

mix the ingredients

C

bake in oven

G

knead doughD

eat and enjoy

F

Iplace in tins

Hroll into shape

Btap to check if

ready

Aallow to rise