PASSIVEPassives

We make the passive using ‘be’ – in a suitable tense – and the past participle of a transitive verb (D.O.)

We use the passive:

1) … when we don’t know, or we are not interested in, who does an action.

My car was stolen yesterday. (We don’t know who stole the car.)

A lot of wine is produced in France. (It’s not important who produces the wine.)

2) … when the main topic of the sentence isn’t who did the action.

Television was invented in the 1920s by John Logie Baird.

The main topic here is television – we aren’t particularly interested in ‘who’ but If we want to show the person or thing doing the action we use by:

She was attacked by a dangerous dog.The money was stolen by her husband.

Kennedy was assassinated in 1963.

We tend to put the most important thing at the start of the sentence.

3) … more in written English than in spoken English.

War and Peace was written by Tolstoy.

You often see the passive in textbooks. Scientific texts especially use the passive.

The mixture is heated to 500˚C.

PASSIVE We sometimes use the verb get to form the passive:

Be careful with the glass. It might get broken.Peter got hurt in a crash.

Tenses

The passive can be used with all tenses - the form of ‘be’ changes.

What is tiramisu made from?. Present Simple.

The hall is being painted this week so our class will be in a different room. Present Continuous.

Oranges have been grown here for centuries. Present Perfect.

When he got home he found that his flat had been burgled. Past Perfect.

The work won’t be finished until next week. Future Simple.

Answers must be written in pencil. Modal verbs

Competition entrants might be chosen to appear on TV.

PASSIVEPassive with two objects

We can use the indirect object as the subject of a passive verb:

I gave him a book for his birthday He was given a book for his birthday.

I.O.

Someone sent her a cheque for a thousand euros She was sent a cheque for a thousand euros.

A cheque for a thousand euros was sent to her

Some verbs very frequently used in the passive are followed by the to-infinitive:

be supposed to be expected to be asked to be scheduled to

be allowed to be told to be meant to

John has been asked to make a speech at the meeting.You are supposed to wear a uniform.

The meeting is scheduled to start at seven.

PASSIVEFrom active to passive

ACTIVE The hunter killed the lion.

S V (past simple) Direct Object

PASSIVE The lion was + killed by the hunter.

S be past participle Agent (optional)

(past simple)

ACTIVE Someone has cleaned the windows.

S V (present perfect) Direct Object

PASSIVE The windows have been + cleaned

S be past participle

(present perfect)

PASSIVECausative passive OR Have/Get something done

Used to refer to actions which are done for the subject rather than by the subject.

Subject (Who causes the action )+ get /have- suitable tense + noun (affected by the action ) + action verb (past participle)

She had her tooth filled

Have something done - I don´t know how to repair cars, so I´m having mine repaired at the garage round the corner.

Get something done - I really must get my eyes tested. I´m sure I need glasses.

Situation:

I have a computer that is not working very well. Someone will check it tomorrowCausative passive: I’m having my computer checked tomorrow

The differences between have and get are : Have is slightly more formal than get

Get is more frequent in the imperative form.- Get lost!

PASSIVECausative passive OR Have/Get something done

Used to refer to actions which are done for the subject rather than by the subject.

Subject (Who causes the action )+ get /have- suitable tense + noun (affected by the action ) + action verb (past participle)

She had her tooth filled

Have something done - I don´t know how to repair cars, so I´m having mine repaired at the garage round the corner.

Get something done - I really must get my eyes tested. I´m sure I need glasses.

Situation:

I have a computer that is not working very well. Someone will check it tomorrowCausative passive: I’m having my computer checked tomorrow

The differences between have and get are : Have is slightly more formal than get

Get is more frequent in the imperative form.- Get lost!