passivevoice teresa pinto de almeida ▪ paula m. araújo ▪ telma coelho x plore 12 unit 1.2....
TRANSCRIPT
PASSIVE VOICE
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho
XPLORE 12Unit 1.2. Killer EnglishUnit 3.2. Real Hunger Games
The Passive Voice is used whenever an action is more important than the agent – for example, in reporting the news, in public notices or scientific experiments.
Here the focus is on the writing of the text and what has happened to it rather than who was responsible for manipulating it.
Example:
The original text was written in Sanskrit but this one has been largely manipulated.
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho
In passive constructions the agent is only mentioned when necessary.
When there is an understanding of who carried out the action it is always incorrect to add the agent or when this information is not known or would be too complicated to add.
Example:
She was taught foreign languages [by teachers] at school.
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho
After modal verbs the auxiliary verbs be or have
been are used; the have been construction shows a past event which didn’t happen.
Example:
A multilingualism approach should be followed.
Example:
Information could have been sent in one language [but it wasn’t].
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho
Subject Object
Some linguists
SubjectAgent
Active
Englishhave defined
by some linguists.
English has been defined
as a killer- language.
as a killer- language
Passive
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho
have defined has been defined
Auxiliary
Present Perfect Passive
To be + Past Participle
PresentPerfect
Main verb
ACTIVE PASSIVE
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho
When putting these verbs into the passive, it is more usual to use the indirect object as the subject.
PASSIVE VOICE – TWO OBJECTS
Example:
I was given a language lesson.
Many verbs like give, lend, award, offer, warn, teach… can have two objects.
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho
useful skills.
Subject Direct Object
School has given
Subject Agent
us
Indirect Object
useful skills by school.have been givenWe
Active
Passive
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho
it + passive verb + that-clause
subject + passive verb + to-infinitive
1.
2.
Passive constructions are often used with verbs like say, believe, estimate and know.
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho
is estimated that 51 million children suffer from malnutrition.
it + passive verb + that-clause1.
It
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho
are estimated to suffer51 million children
subject + passive + to-infinitive2.
from malnutrition.
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho
Sometimes there are two passive constructions in the same sentence.
Example:
It is known that global English has been shaped by cultural interactions.
Other verbs which are used in this way include:consider, think, understand, report, expect, fear, claim and deny.
Global English is known to have been shaped by cultural interactions.
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho
Now Practise!
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho
a. The students designed a leaflet to draw attention to languages in danger of extinction.
A …
b. Some language researchers have advised UN officials that actions need to be taken to protect endangered languages.
UN officials …
c. Unesco is setting up a programme to make recordings of dialects.
A programme …
1. Rewrite these sentences in the active or passive voice.
A leaflet was designed to draw attention to languages in danger of extinction.
UN officials have been advised that actions need to be taken to protect endangered languages.
A programme to make recordings of dialects is being set up by Unesco.
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho
d. A research had already shown to linguists that the English language is threatening others.
Linguists …
e. A list of actions was devised to protect minority languages.
Unesco …
f. The linguistic programme developed by the UN hasn’t been acknowledged by several governments.
Several governments …
Linguists had already been shown that the English language is threatening others.
Unesco devised a list of actions to protect minority languages.
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho
Several governments haven’t acknowledged the linguistic programme developed by the UN.
2. Rewrite the following sentences beginning with the words given.
a. They assumed that the obstacles to the inclusion programme were overcome.
It …
The obstacles…
b. Analysts have foreseen that the Human Rights Committee won’t implement any measures to solve the problem.
It …
It was assumed that the obstacles to the inclusion programme were overcome.
The obstacles to the inclusion programme were assumed to be overcome.
It has been foreseen that the Human Rights Committee won’t implement any measures to solve the problem.
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho
c. That expert is estimating that conflicts due to racial discrimination will increase in our cities.
It …
d. Journalists have reported that a consensus between the major political parties was reached.
It …
e. The police expects that the demonstration during the G9 summit will turn violent.
It …
It is being estimated that conflicts due to racial discrimination will increase in our cities.
It has been reported that a consensus between the major political parties was reached.
It is expected that the demonstration during the G9 summit will turn violent.
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho
Further Practice!
Passive Voice Quiz 1
Passive Voice Quiz 2
Teresa Pinto de Almeida ▪ Paula M. Araújo ▪ Telma Coelho