AZIZ ATIK                               Passive voice

         

   Passive voice requires that students must master the forms of the verb to be and it also requires tenses form mastery (simple past,  past perfect, present continuous, past continuous etc.), otherwise it would be too difficult to handle passive sentences. Also, past participle of irregular verbs must be kept by heart.

TO BE
	Singular	plural
*simple present	is	are
*present continuous	Is being	are being
*present perfect	has been	have been
*simple past	was	were
*past continuous	was being	were being
*past perfect	had been

Examples:

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a)The thief stole the money yesterday.

     (The verb in stark red(stole)  is in simple past and “money” is the object and it is singular, so we go to the table and take simple past of the verb to be (was) +past participle of the verb steal (stolen).  Passive sentence will look like this:

• The money (the object) was stolen (simple past of to be+ past participle) by the thief.

b) My brother has broken the cup

  (the verb in stark red (has broken) is in present perfect and “the cup” is the object and it is singular, so we go to the table and take the present perfect of the verb to be (has been)+past participle of the verb break (broken).Passive sentence will look like this:  

• The cup (the object) has been broken (present perfect of to be+ past participle) by my brother.

Passive Construction:

Rule: object+ to be (in the tense of the active sentence)+past participle+ by the agent

*MODALS IN PASSIVE SENTENCES:

Can

Could

May

Needn’t

Must

Would

Have to

Should                                               +  be + past participle of the verb

Ought to

Might

Will

Be going to

Shall

Don’t have to/don’t need to

Examples :

a)He must follow the doctor’s advice.

• The doctor’s advice must be followed.

b) Someone should clean the room.

• The room should be cleaned.

c) She needn’t water the garden.

• The garden needn’t be watered.

d) Everyone will buy this interesting book.

• This interesting book will be bought by everyone

e) The teacher may give you a gift if you get the first mark.

• You may be given a gift by the teacher if you get the first mark.

*Sentences such as: 

people believe/assume/think/say/acknowledge/claim/consider………are treated this way:

a)People believe that the president is not doing well

• It is believed that the president is not doing well.

b)People assume that Europe will not get out of the current crisis.

• It is assumed that Europe will not get out of the current crisis.

Exercises

   

a) Rewrite the following sentences as suggested:

1] They will publish the results of the competition next week.

The results of the competition ...................................................

2] They didn’t send the internet bill last month.

The internet bill ………….........................................................

3] People have told me that Chaouen is worth visiting.

I …………………………………………………………………………………….

4] They are correcting the examination papers right now.

The examination papers……………........................................

5] Someone has broken the vase

 The vase…………………………………………………………….

6] When we arrived, the guests had already eaten the food.

When we arrived, the food…………………………………………

7] They give literacy classes to the illiterate in remote locations

The illiterate...................................................................................

8] They think that this generation will not live as longer as the previous generations.

It………………………………………………………………………………………

8] They believe that the Family Code has caused more problems than it has solved.

It………………………………………………………………………………………

9] My mother is going to prepare some delicious cakes

Delicious cakes…………………………………………………. 

10) They needn’t teach her English, because she has already learnt it.

She………………………………………………………..

	b) Rewrite these active sentences into the passive
1. Jamal feeds the little dogs. The little dogs ………………………………………………………….. 2. They should send Imane to school. Imane ……………………………………………………………………… 3. Hassan and Bilal sell old cars. Old cars ……………………………………………………………….. 4. Bayer is launching a new product. A new product ……………………………………………………………… 5. They were repairing the machine when the explosion occurred. A machine ………………………………………………………………….. 6. You had to open the window. The window …………………………………………………………………. 7. They were treating the patient for minor injuries. The patient ……………………………………………………………………. 8. They elected Barack Obama president in 2008. B. Barack Obama ……………………………………………………………… 9. Mourad must have done the homework. The homework ………………………………………………………………….. 10. People oughtn't to pollute beaches. The beaches ……………………………………………………………………. 11. The waiter brought Amina a big steak. A big steak ………………………………………………………………………. 12. She will show us the way. We ………………………………………………………………………………. 13. They have met their father at the station. Their father ………………………………………………………………………. 14. My husband had sent me a text message before the plane took off. A text message …………………………………………………………………… 15. We pay them once a week. They ………………………………………………………………………………. 16. The teacher is explaining the words to me. The words ……………………………………………………………………….. 17. They closed the street because of the snow. The street ……………………………………………………………………….. 18. You needn't put cheese in the freezer. It's cold. Cheese …………………………………………………………………………. 19.  Two teams of eleven players play soccer. Soccer ……………………………………………………………………….. 20. Barak Obama delivered a speech to congress. A speech …………………………………………………………………… 21. Almoravid Dynasty founded the city of Marrakech in the 11th century. The city of Marrakech ………………………………………………….. 22. The people in India speak many different languages. Many different languages ………………………………………………. 23. Some people use a calculator for the most basic calculations. Calculators ………………………………………………………………. 24. Researchers say that all children are born with equal intelligence. It ………………………………………………………………………… 25. A Few scientists believe that man came from monkeys. Man ………………………………………………………………………. 26. You should go home early in order not to be chided. You Should go home early to avoid………………………………………. 27. People think cats have nine lives. Cats ……………………………………………………………………… 28. Many people believe dogs know instinctively who is a friend and who isn’t. Dogs ……………………………………………………………………. 29. People say the world is moving towards its end. The world ………………………………………………………………… 30. They said hackers are the biggest source of attack on US military websites. Hackers ……………………………………………………………………..
	c) Correct these sentences. Focus on phrases in bold type.
Lunch was been served when we arrived. ………………………………………………………………. Children is driven to school every morning. ………………………………………………………………. The elderly should taken care of. ………………………………………………………………. The report has being re-written three times. ………………………………………………………………. Dolphins can be see here. ………………………………………………………………. Mustard is said to use as a medicine by the ancient Egyptians. ………………………………………………………………. She have been sent a hundreds of e-cards. ………………………………………………………………. 8.      The criminal could sentenced to life imprisonment. ………………………………………………………………. 9.      You will be make a cup of coffee. ………………………………………………………………. 10. The car’s engine ought to not be washed with cold water. ……………………………………………………………….
	d) Rewrite these sentences in the active voice.
1. He was dismissed by the president last month. ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 2. The car has been taken to the garage by Leila. ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 3. The car will be repaired by Mohammed. ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 4. Planes are flown by a pilot. ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 5. The cake was being cooked by my mother. ……………………………………………………………………………………………… 6. The waiter should have been asked for a plastic bag. ………………………………………………………………………………………………
	e) Reorder these scrambled passive sentences.
must / Rules / obeyed / be. ……………………………………………………… in / made / Nokia cell phones / Finland / are. ……………………………………………………… written / !984 was / George Orwell / by. ……………………………………………………… have / The annual / to / been / ought  / sent / report. ……………………………………………………… The lady / a seat / not / was / offered. ……………………………………………………… by / is / interviewed/ being / Bouchra / the police.

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