GRAMMAR

THE PASSIVE (1)

am/are/is

was/were + -ed (past participle)

has/have been

will be

In passive, the object of the active sentence becomes the subject of the passive sentence:

Active sentence: Hermann [subject] ate ten cakes [object].

Passive sentence: Ten cakes [subject] were eaten by Hermann [object].

Positive and negative

The television programmes are made here. (present)

Milk is delivered twice a week. (present)

Speaking in the library is forbidden. (present)

My wallet was stolen. (past)

They were surprised by the news. (past)

We were not told about the news. (past)

My house has been burgled. (present perfect)

I have been fired! (present perfect)

John hasn't been told about the news. (present perfect)

Workers will be given more money (will)

I will not be given more money. (will)

Questions

Where is coffee produced? (present)

Are students given cheaper tickets? (present)

Was your team given a prize? (past)

Why wasn't I told about the news? (past)

Have I been fired again? (present perfect)

Why have I been fired? (present perfect)

Will I be given more information? (will)

We use passive:

1. To emphasise one part of the sentence:

The president met the pope. (active)

The pope was met by the president (passive - the pope is more important)

2. To express something in a more polite/formal way:

Send application letters to this address (active)

Application letters should be sent to this address. (passive - more polite/formal)

3. When the action is more important than who does it:

Some men clean the streets every night. (active)

The streets are cleaned every night. (passive - the action is more important)

4. We don't know who did the action:

Someone has robbed my house! (active)

My house has been robbed. (passive - I don't know who robbed me)

UWAGA It is important to think about the 'agent' in passive sentences. The agent is the person or thing who/which does the action. It usually written after by:

The pope was met by the president. (agent = the president. He met the pope)

I was given a present by my mother. (agent = my mother. She gave me a present)

The winning goal was scored by Figo. (agent = Figo. He scored the goal)

However, sometimes we do not mention the agent because:

We do not know who: My house was burgled.

It's not important who: The streets are cleaned each night.

The agent is obvious: The criminal was sent to prison (by the judge!)

The agent is already mentioned: His book was written in 1789 (by him!?)

Practice 1

Make these active sentences passive using the rules above. Think whether an agent is necessary or not:

1. They grow a lot of coffee in Colombia.

.............................................................................................................

2. Thomas Edison invented the light-bulb.

.............................................................................................................

3. Have you repaired my washing machine yet?

.............................................................................................................

4. We give money to people in poor countries.

.............................................................................................................

5. Do you give each customer a free gift?

.............................................................................................................

6. The American team won the 100m swimming race.

.............................................................................................................

7. Many people gave me money when I got married.

.............................................................................................................

8. Somebody has written graffiti on the wall.

.............................................................................................................

Practice 2

Do we need to know the agent in these passive sentences? Do they seem correct to you? Decide if you can cross out the agent:

1. The first question was asked by Hermann.

2. The taxi was driven very quickly by the taxi-driver.

3. Speaking by anybody is forbidden in the university library.

4. My house was painted by some painters last week.

5. Hamlet was written by Shakespeare.

6. The play was written in 1604 by a writer.

Revision: Second conditional

Complete these sentences in a suitable way:

1. If I ............................ (be) you, I would apply for that job.

2. If Hermann ............................. (work) harder, he ...................... (get) better results.

3. John would play basketball if he ...................... (be) taller.

4. If you ................... (have) a dog, what ............................. (you, call) him?

5. I ......................... (not, try) to fix that machine If I were you.

VOCABULARY

PHRASAL VERBS

Practice 1

Choose one of these phrasal verbs to complete the sentences:

go away take off sit down

try on look for turn off

turn on run out of grow up

look forward to break down throw away

1. I asked her to go on a date, but she told me to .............................

2. We have .......................... sugar. Will you go to the shops?

3. Children ....................... very quickly these days, don't they?

4. I ....................... my clothes before I go to bed.

5. I always ................................ to my holiday each summer.

6. I've lost my keys. Will you help me to ......................... them.

7. Could you ............................ the cooker. The soup is going to burn.

8. If you don't put enough petrol in your car, it might .........................

9. .............................. the lights. I can't see anything.

10. I like these trousers. I'd like to ...................... them ................ to see if they fit.

11. My legs were so tired that I had to ............................

12. This cheese smells terrible. We should ...................... it ..................

Vocabulary from the unit:

break down - zepsuć się

burgle- włamywać się

fit - pasować

go away - odchodzić

grow up - dorastać, dojrzewać

invent - wynajdować

look for - szukać

look forward to - oczekiwać, wypatrywać czegoś

run out - zużyć, wyczerpać

sit down - usiąść

take off - zdejmować

throw away - wyrzucać

try on - przymierzać

turn off - wyłączyć

turn on - włączyć

LESSON 17 - answer key

GRAMMAR

Practice 1

1. They grow a lot of coffee in Colombia.

A lot of coffee is grown in Columbia.

2. Thomas Edison invented the light-bulb.

The light-bulb was invented by Thomas Edison.

3. Have you repaired my washing machine yet?

Has my washing machine been repaired yet?

4. We give money to people in poor countries.

People in poor countries are given money by us.

5. Do you give each customer a free gift?

Is each customer given a gift?

6. The American team won the 100m swimming race.

The 100m swimming race was won by the American team.

7. Many people gave me money when I got married.

I was given money when I got married.

8. Somebody has written graffiti on the wall.

Graffiti has been written on the wall.

Practice 2

1. The first question was asked by Hermann. ok

2. The taxi was driven very quickly by the taxi-driver.

3. Speaking by anybody is forbidden in the university library.

4. My house was painted by some painters last week.

5. Hamlet was written by Shakespeare. ok

6. The play was written in 1604 by a writer.

Revision: Second conditional

1. If I were (be) you, I would apply for that job.

2. If Hermann worked (work) harder, he would get (get) better results.

3. John would play basketball if he were (be) taller.

4. If you had (have) a dog, what would you call (call) him?

5. I wouldn't try (not, try) to fix that machine If I were you.

VOCABULARY

Practice 1

1. I asked her to go on a date, but she told me to go away.

2. We have run out of sugar. Will you go to the shops?

3. Children grow up very quickly these days, don't they?

4. I take off my clothes before I go to bed.

5. I always look forward to my holiday each summer.

6. I've lost my keys. Will you help me to look for them?

7. Could you turn off the cooker? The soup is going to burn.

8. If you don't put enough petrol in your car, it might break down.

9. Turn on the lights. I can't see anything.

10. I like these trousers. I'd like to try them on to see if they fit.

11. My legs were so tired that I had to sit down.

12. This cheese smells terrible. We should throw it away.

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